Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Nouadhibou

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouadhibou: $263 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

Nouadhibou

🇲🇷 Mauritania

$263

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Nouadhibou

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $263 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Nouadhibou $263

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $486 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Nouadhibou $486

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $708 in Nouadhibou, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Nouadhibou $708

Istanbul costs about 480% more than Nouadhibou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Nouadhibou is 80% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$2.93 MRU 118

305.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$16.96 MRU 679

224.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$5.99 MRU 240

52.59%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$2.58 MRU 103

64.34%

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

$1.27 MRU 50.8

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.35 MRU 14.10

171.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.15 MRU 45.96

100.87%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.12 MRU 84.8

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$2.68 MRU 107

108.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$6.17 MRU 247

243.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$1.77 MRU 70.7

9.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.48 MRU 59.4

54.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.09 MRU 43.61

17.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$0.77 MRU 30.86

138.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$0.72 MRU 28.95

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$0.68 MRU 27.41

-13.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$0.59 MRU 23.67

125.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$2.45 MRU 98.1

-3.67%

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

$0.35 MRU 14.16

137.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.91 MRU 36.47

48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$7.28 MRU 292

49.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.23 MRU 49.07

19.51%

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

$65.2 MRU 2,611

1424.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$97.4 MRU 3,899

546.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$253 MRU 10.1K

356.21%

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 Nouadhibou: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Nouadhibou

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Nouadhibou

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Nouadhibou

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Nouadhibou

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Nouadhibou

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Nouadhibou

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Nouadhibou

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $65.2 in Nouadhibou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $17.00 in Nouadhibou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $93.0 – making Nouadhibou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇷 Nouadhibou

🕒 Local time

15:30 3:30 PM

12:30 12:30 PM

3 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

85,953

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Mauritanian Ouguiya MRU UM

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 MRU = 2.5 USD

100 MRU = 2.23 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MRU, 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 = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.04 MRU (100 MRU = 2.5 USD). 1 EUR = 44.87 MRU (100 MRU = 2.23 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Nouadhibou 4,850 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

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Istanbul
Nouadhibou

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 Nouadhibou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 480%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $395 in Nouadhibou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouadhibou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 184% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $17.00 in Nouadhibou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nouadhibou, where all-in costs run around $263, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Nouadhibou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nouadhibou – 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 Nouadhibou. 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.