Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Port Elizabeth

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Elizabeth: $1,233 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Port Elizabeth
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Port Elizabeth Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Port Elizabeth

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,233

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Port Elizabeth

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $1,233 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Port Elizabeth $1,233

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,847 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Port Elizabeth $1,847

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $2,461 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Port Elizabeth $2,461

Istanbul costs about 24% more than Port Elizabeth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Port Elizabeth is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$10.62 R 175

11.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$42.87 R 707

28.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$6.02 R 99.3

51.83%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$2.12 R 35.03

100.00%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$1.04 R 17.24

68.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.72 R 11.93

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$2.76 R 45.50

69.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$3.06 R 50.5

95.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$1.14 R 18.74

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.04 R 17.10

-8.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.44 R 23.78

60.42%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.81 R 46.33

-12.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$8.58 R 142

22.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$5.47 R 90.2

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$8.28 R 137

156.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.11 R 34.80

-8.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.54 R 25.46

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.61 R 26.56

-20.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.78 R 29.43

3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$1.73 R 28.56

-61.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.42 R 23.46

-58.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$1.29 R 21.27

3.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$1.01 R 16.70

-41.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$3.13 R 51.6

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$4.82 R 79.6

179.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.25 R 20.63

93.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.82 R 30.06

94.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$1.09 R 17.96

-23.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$36.08 R 595

84.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$2.12 R 35.03

-36.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$0.50 R 8.20

70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$8.45 R 139

28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.45 R 23.86

1.38%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$35.4K R 584.3K

45.78%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$34.0K R 561.2K

30.67%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$123 R 2,024

-27.27%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$35.08 R 579

-66.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$45.22 R 746

-64.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$31.88 R 526

142.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$22.73 R 375

-0.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$10.61 R 175

-21.39%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$176 R 2,902

453.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$6,192 R 102.2K

316.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$70.6 R 1,164

-25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$38.27 R 631

2.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$110 R 1,807

-5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$96.5 R 1,593

0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$612 R 10.1K

62.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$418 R 6,891

50.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$805 R 13.3K

151.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$689 R 11.4K

67.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$750 R 12.4K

321.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$531 R 8,754

246.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$1,612 R 26.6K

-25.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

11.94

244.14%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Port Elizabeth

$418 34.4% 33.6% $212

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Port Elizabeth

$197 16.2% 25.5% $67

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Port Elizabeth

$155 12.8% 28.7% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Port Elizabeth

$142 11.7% 8% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Port Elizabeth

$203 16.7% 73.6% $86

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Port Elizabeth

$53 4.4% 43.5% $41

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Port Elizabeth

$45 3.7% 40.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $612 in Port Elizabeth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in Port Elizabeth, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $43.00 in Port Elizabeth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $197 – making Port Elizabeth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇿🇦 Port Elizabeth

🕒 Local time

15:02 3:02 PM

14:02 2:02 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

1,050,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.06 USD

100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, 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).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.49 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Port Elizabeth 8,340 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Port Elizabeth

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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,849 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $176 in Port Elizabeth. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Elizabeth – 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.