Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Lome

For one person, living is cheaper in Lome: $557 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Lome
Learn more

Lome Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Lome

🇹🇬 Togo

$557

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Lome

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Istanbul and in Lome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $557 in Lome, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Lome $557

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $980 in Lome, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Lome $980

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,404 in Lome, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Lome $1,404

Istanbul costs about 174% more than Lome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Lome is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$2.94 F CFA 1,718

304.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$30.61 F CFA 17.9K

79.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$5.64 F CFA 3,301

62.06%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$5.65 F CFA 3,307

-24.96%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₺86.0

$4.22 F CFA 2,470

-58.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.70 F CFA 407

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$0.96 F CFA 560

388.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$1.74 F CFA 1,018

243.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.22 F CFA 1,302

-43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.36 F CFA 795

-30.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.49 F CFA 872

55.03%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.04 F CFA 1,194

21.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$5.70 F CFA 3,334

272.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.92 F CFA 1,710

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.67 F CFA 976

37.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$2.55 F CFA 1,489

-27.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$1.75 F CFA 1,024

-61.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.18 F CFA 692

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.83 F CFA 487

-28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$4.85 F CFA 2,835

177.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.09 F CFA 640

122.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.40 F CFA 820

152.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$1.22 F CFA 714

-30.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$4.24 F CFA 2,482

156.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.23 F CFA 720

19.51%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$51.6K ₺2.5M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$44.4K ₺2.2M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$89.2 ₺4,395

$146 F CFA 85.6K

-38.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.60 ₺572

$21.33 F CFA 12.5K

-45.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$42.15 F CFA 24.7K

-61.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$60.5 F CFA 35.4K

27.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$8.77 F CFA 5,132

158.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$4.22 F CFA 2,467

97.63%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$1,196 F CFA 699.6K

69.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$294 F CFA 172.2K

292.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$295 F CFA 172.7K

307.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Lome: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Lome

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Lome

$140 * 25% 47% $124

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Lome

$136 24.3% 37.5% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Lome

- * 0% 100%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Lome

$210 37.4% 79.4% $93

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Lome

$69 12.3% 26.6% $25

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Lome

$6.1 * 1.1% 91.9% $69

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 308% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $31.00 in Lome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $140 – making Lome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇹🇬 Lome

🕒 Local time

12:06 12:06 PM

09:06 9:06 AM

3 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

837,437 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Lome 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Lome

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Istanbul vs Lome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 174%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $836 in Lome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 89% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $31.00 in Lome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lome, where all-in costs run around $557, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Lome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lome – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.