Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Nara

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Nara

🇲🇱 Mali

/mo nomad

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

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

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

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

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

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

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

$11.60 ₺572

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

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

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 Nara: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Nara

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Nara

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Nara

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Nara

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Nara

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Nara

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Nara

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇱 Nara

🕒 Local time

06:47 6:47 AM

03:47 3:47 AM

3 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

23,599

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Nara 4,520 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Nara

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 Nara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward Nara – 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 Nara. 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.