Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Mahebourg

For one person, living is cheaper in Mahebourg: $952 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Mahebourg
🇲🇺 Mauritius
$952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Mahebourg

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 Mahebourg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $952 in Mahebourg, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Mahebourg $952

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,194 in Mahebourg, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Mahebourg $1,194

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,435 in Mahebourg, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Mahebourg $1,435

Istanbul costs about 63% more than Mahebourg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Mahebourg is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$5.10 MUR 240
141.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$37.45 MUR 1,763
46.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$5.04 MUR 237
82.94%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$2.69 MUR 127
63.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$1.12 MUR 52.8
50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$0.63 MUR 29.56
-6.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$2.62 MUR 123
79.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$4.77 MUR 225
23.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.60 MUR 75.3
-24.38%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$0.74 MUR 34.69
20.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.15 MUR 54.2
90.43%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$2.57 MUR 121
-8.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$5.36 MUR 252
94.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$6.39 MUR 301
-11.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$11.34 MUR 534
84.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.75 MUR 129
-30.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$2.59 MUR 122
-10.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.39 MUR 65.5
-7.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$3.00 MUR 141
-40.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$0.93 MUR 43.63
-30.11%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$0.95 MUR 44.61
-32.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.73 MUR 34.19
71.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.90 MUR 42.53
-37.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$6.39 MUR 301
-62.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$8.53 MUR 402
57.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$1.62 MUR 76.0
48.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$2.26 MUR 106
53.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ₺43.84
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$67.4 ₺3,338
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 ₺64.1
$4.14 MUR 195
-68.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$3.17 MUR 149
-70.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$21.07 MUR 992
-47.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.40 MUR 66.0
5.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$35.7K MUR 1.7M
42.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$31.2K MUR 1.5M
42.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$44.34 MUR 2,087
99.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$10.70 MUR 504
8.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$29.46 MUR 1,387
-46.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$6.35 MUR 299
28.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$125 MUR 5,887
706.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$7,696 MUR 362.3K
232.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$76.1 MUR 3,581
-29.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$75.0 MUR 3,533
-45.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$118 MUR 5,560
-16.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$76.7 MUR 3,610
25.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$985 ₺48.7K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$650 ₺32.2K
$343 MUR 16.1K
89.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,138 ₺155.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,780 ₺88.1K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Mahebourg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
6.67
513.49%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Mahebourg: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Mahebourg
$343 47.2% $307
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Mahebourg
$218 16% $41
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Mahebourg
$118 47.2% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Mahebourg
$156 19.2% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Mahebourg
$85 27.2% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Mahebourg
$13 * 86.4% $81
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Mahebourg
$20 * 74% $57

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $37.00 in Mahebourg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $218 – making Mahebourg the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇲🇺 Mahebourg
🕒 Local time
17:44 5:44 PM
18:44 6:44 PM
1 h ahead of Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
15,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 47.08 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.93 MUR (100 MUR = 1.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Mahebourg 7,450 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Mahebourg

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 Mahebourg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mahebourg cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,428 in Mahebourg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Istanbul or in Mahebourg?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $37.00 in Mahebourg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Mahebourg?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Mahebourg?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mahebourg, where all-in costs run around $952, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Mahebourg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Mahebourg more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mahebourg – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Mahebourg?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mahebourg. 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.

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