Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Maiduguri

For one person, living is cheaper in Maiduguri: $172 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Maiduguri

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$172

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Maiduguri

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $172 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Maiduguri $172

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $288 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Maiduguri $288

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $403 in Maiduguri, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Maiduguri $403

Istanbul costs about 801% more than Maiduguri, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Maiduguri is 87% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$0.55 ₦735

2136.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$1.90 ₦2,521

385.26%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.86 ₦1,138

411.63%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.25 ₦331

572.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.18 ₦240

227.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.03 ₦1,368

-13.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.99 ₦2,643

10.05%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.76 ₦2,341

33.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.15 ₦6,847

9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$3.97 ₦5,286

427.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$4.06 ₦5,397

-53.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$1.02 ₦1,360

76.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.54 ₦2,045

-57.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.02 ₦1,355

-37.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.42 ₦554

197.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.31 ₦412

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.39 ₦525

128.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$0.25 ₦332

488.00%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

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

$11.59 ₺574

$8.04 ₦10.7K

44.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$8.05 ₦10.7K

182.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$20.39 ₦27.1K

164.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$17.78 ₦23.6K

129.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$25.34 ₦33.7K

290.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$25.13 ₦33.4K

284.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Maiduguri: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Maiduguri

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Maiduguri

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Maiduguri

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Maiduguri

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Maiduguri

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Maiduguri

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Maiduguri

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇬 Maiduguri

🕒 Local time

04:07 4:07 AM

02:07 2:07 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

1,197,497

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Nigerian Naira NGN ₦

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD

10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NGN, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Nigerian Naira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 NGN (10,000 NGN = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 NGN (10,000 NGN = 6.69 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Maiduguri 3,590 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Maiduguri

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 Maiduguri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 801%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $258 in Maiduguri. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,550 in Istanbul and $172 in Maiduguri. That's a gap of about 801%.

Groceries cost about 159% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maiduguri, where all-in costs run around $172, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Maiduguri it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maiduguri – 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 Maiduguri. 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.