Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Onitsha

For one person, living is cheaper in Onitsha: $0.68 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Onitsha

🇳🇬 Nigeria

$0.68

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Onitsha

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $0.68 in Onitsha, rent included.

Istanbul $1,525
Onitsha $0.68

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $1.19 in Onitsha, rent included.

Istanbul $2,390
Onitsha $1.19

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $1.70 in Onitsha, rent included.

Istanbul $3,256
Onitsha $1.70

Istanbul costs about 224110% more than Onitsha, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 13% above the global median, while Onitsha is 100% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$0.17 ₦227

382.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

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

$11.69 ₺579

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Onitsha: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Onitsha

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Onitsha

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Onitsha

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Onitsha

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Onitsha

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Onitsha

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Onitsha

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇬 Onitsha

🕒 Local time

23:00 11:00 PM

21:00 9:00 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

1,080,000

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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 Onitsha 4,460 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Onitsha

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 Onitsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 224110%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $1.02 in Onitsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Onitsha, where all-in costs run around $0.68, than in Istanbul at $1,525. In Onitsha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Onitsha – 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 Onitsha. 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.