Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Port Sudan

For one person, living is cheaper in Port Sudan: $659 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Other living expenses 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

Port Sudan

🇸🇩 Sudan

$659

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $659 in Port Sudan, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Port Sudan $659

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,180 in Port Sudan, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Port Sudan $1,180

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,702 in Port Sudan, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Port Sudan $1,702

Istanbul costs about 132% more than Port Sudan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Port Sudan is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

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

$1.27 SDG 760

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.85 SDG 507

11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$0.76 SDG 457

203.95%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.94 SDG 1,761

-15.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$6.53 SDG 3,910

61.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$16.14 SDG 9,659

-65.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$14.45 SDG 8,646

46.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$4.17 SDG 2,495

-53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.18 SDG 1,307

5.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.63 SDG 973

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$6.68 SDG 4,000

-72.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$3.28 SDG 1,965

-79.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.63 SDG 973

-63.80%

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

$0.31 SDG 185

167.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$1.96 SDG 1,175

-31.12%

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

$11.51 SDG 6,886

0.78%

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

$28.69 SDG 17.2K

3294.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$424 SDG 253.5K

5984.30%

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

$737 SDG 440.9K

34.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$368 SDG 220.1K

71.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$1,489 SDG 891.0K

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$988 SDG 591.6K

16.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$2,032 SDG 1.2M

55.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$1,186 SDG 709.7K

54.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$210 SDG 125.9K

471.91%

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 Port Sudan: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Port Sudan

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Port Sudan

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Port Sudan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Port Sudan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Port Sudan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Port Sudan

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Port Sudan

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $737 in Port Sudan. 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 472% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇸🇩 Port Sudan

🕒 Local time

14:42 2:42 PM

13:42 1:42 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

489,000

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Sudanese Pound SDG £

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 SDG = 1.67 USD

1,000 SDG = 1.49 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SDG, 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).

Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 599 SDG (1,000 SDG = 1.67 USD). 1 EUR = 671 SDG (1,000 SDG = 1.49 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Port Sudan 2,500 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Port Sudan

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 Sudan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 132%, 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 $988 in Port Sudan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Istanbul – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $28.69 in Port Sudan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Sudan, where all-in costs run around $659, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Port Sudan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Port Sudan – 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 Sudan. 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.