Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Rundu

For one person, living is cheaper in Rundu: $347 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Rundu

🇳🇦 Namibia

$347

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Rundu

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $347 in Rundu, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Rundu $347

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $629 in Rundu, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Rundu $629

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $910 in Rundu, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Rundu $910

Istanbul costs about 347% more than Rundu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Rundu is 74% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$14.92 NAD 246

-17.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$29.80 NAD 491

83.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$6.10 NAD 100

51.15%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.16 NAD 35.52

103.70%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.71 NAD 11.73

136.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.63 NAD 10.35

-6.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$0.87 NAD 14.31

440.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$1.19 NAD 19.58

396.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.81 NAD 13.35

9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$4.43 NAD 73.0

-50.56%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.06 NAD 50.3

-23.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$4.12 NAD 67.8

152.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$4.85 NAD 79.9

16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$4.72 NAD 77.7

343.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.15 NAD 35.41

-11.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.13 NAD 35.14

8.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.23 NAD 20.23

4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.87 NAD 14.35

106.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$5.28 NAD 87.0

-87.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.92 NAD 15.19

-30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.63 NAD 10.34

98.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$1.01 NAD 16.68

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$1.18 NAD 19.50

100.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$4.10 NAD 67.5

227.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.24 NAD 20.40

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.49 NAD 24.48

133.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

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

$11.59 ₺574

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rundu: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Rundu

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Rundu

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Rundu

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Rundu

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Rundu

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Rundu

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Rundu

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $30.00 in Rundu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $171 – making Rundu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇦 Rundu

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

23:36 11:36 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

63,431

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 NAD = 6.07 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NAD, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 NAD (100 NAD = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

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Istanbul Rundu 6,620 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Rundu

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 Rundu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 347%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $520 in Rundu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 $30.00 in Rundu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rundu, where all-in costs run around $347, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Rundu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rundu – 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 Rundu. 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.