Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Nampula

For one person, living is cheaper in Nampula: $525 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 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

Nampula

🇲🇿 Mozambique

$525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Nampula

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $525 in Nampula, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Nampula $525

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $703 in Nampula, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Nampula $703

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $881 in Nampula, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Nampula $881

Istanbul costs about 191% more than Nampula, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Nampula is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$5.33 MZN 337

122.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.81 MZN 51.5

116.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.40 MZN 25.48

35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.59 MZN 100

194.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$1.82 MZN 115

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.48 MZN 30.66

97.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.11 MZN 70.3

108.11%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.68 MZN 170

-7.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$10.18 MZN 644

3.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$3.49 MZN 221

60.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$3.77 MZN 238

462.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.70 MZN 171

-28.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.39 MZN 151

-4.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.01 MZN 127

-36.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.52 MZN 96.4

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$1.48 MZN 93.8

-54.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.69 MZN 107

-65.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.74 MZN 46.53

79.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.88 MZN 55.7

-32.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$6.35 MZN 402

112.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$2.34 MZN 148

3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.16 MZN 10.04

418.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$1.59 MZN 101

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$2.29 MZN 145

-62.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.50 MZN 95.1

-2.00%

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

$119 MZN 7,496

-24.72%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$33.37 MZN 2,111

-65.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$124 MZN 7,872

-87.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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

$941 MZN 59.5K

115.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

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

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 Nampula: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Nampula

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Nampula

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Nampula

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Nampula

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Nampula

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Nampula

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Nampula

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇿 Nampula

🕒 Local time

10:03 10:03 AM

09:03 9:03 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

477,900

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Mozambican Metical MZN MT

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 MZN = 1.58 USD

100 MZN = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MZN, 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).

Mozambican Metical exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 63.25 MZN (100 MZN = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.94 MZN (100 MZN = 1.41 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Nampula 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Nampula

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 Nampula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 191%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $787 in Nampula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $525 in Nampula. That's a gap of about 191%.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Nampula, where all-in costs run around $525, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Nampula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nampula – 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 Nampula. 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.