Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Malabo

For one person, living is cheaper in Malabo: $673 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Malabo

🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea

$673

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Malabo

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $673 in Malabo, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Malabo $673

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,117 in Malabo, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Malabo $1,117

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,560 in Malabo, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Malabo $1,560

Istanbul costs about 127% more than Malabo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Malabo is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$8.70 FCFA 5,088

36.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$69.6 FCFA 40.7K

-20.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$8.65 FCFA 5,060

5.66%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$4.79 FCFA 2,804

-11.48%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.84 FCFA 491

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.41 FCFA 240

31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.69 FCFA 989

177.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$2.73 FCFA 1,596

-53.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.75 FCFA 1,025

32.00%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$3.70 FCFA 2,165

-33.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$6.75 FCFA 3,948

56.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$6.02 FCFA 3,522

-6.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$7.08 FCFA 4,142

199.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.37 FCFA 1,385

-18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.76 FCFA 1,027

30.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$4.47 FCFA 2,615

-47.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.40 FCFA 822

72.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$0.89 FCFA 521

297.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$1.74 FCFA 1,020

-52.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$26.67 FCFA 15.6K

149.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.83 FCFA 485

62.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$0.90 FCFA 528

-5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$8.72 FCFA 5,103

24.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$32.6K FCFA 19.1M

58.54%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$29.1K FCFA 17.0M

52.91%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

$17.56 FCFA 10.3K

-33.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$17.07 FCFA 9,986

-5.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$34.14 FCFA 20.0K

126.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$14.84 FCFA 8,685

52.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$5.42 FCFA 3,173

53.87%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$344 FCFA 201.4K

7388.87%

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

$223 FCFA 130.4K

182.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$346 FCFA 202.3K

485.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$285 FCFA 166.7K

305.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$841 FCFA 492.3K

275.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$648 FCFA 378.9K

183.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

6.8

504.26%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Malabo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Malabo

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Malabo

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Malabo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Malabo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Malabo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Malabo

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Malabo

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $70.0 in Malabo. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Istanbul vs $152 in Malabo – so Malabo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇬🇶 Malabo

🕒 Local time

09:07 9:07 AM

07:07 7:07 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

297,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, 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).

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

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Malabo 4,610 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Malabo

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 Malabo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 127%, 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 $1,009 in Malabo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 149% less in Malabo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 74% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malabo, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Malabo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malabo – 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 Malabo. 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.