Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Serowe

For one person, living is cheaper in Serowe: $80.7 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Serowe

🇧🇼 Botswana

$80.7

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Serowe

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $80.7 in Serowe, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Serowe $80.7

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $141 in Serowe, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Serowe $141

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $201 in Serowe, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Serowe $201

Istanbul costs about 1821% more than Serowe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Serowe is 94% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.37 P 18.30

-11.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.10 P 14.71

-19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.71 P 22.83

37.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$4.01 P 53.6

422.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.34 P 17.87

41.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.08 P 14.39

113.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$1.64 P 21.94

9.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$1.43 P 19.13

-54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.40 P 18.74

-54.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.72 P 9.66

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

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

$110 P 1,474

814.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$1,776 P 23.7K

1339.26%

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 Serowe: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Serowe

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Serowe

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Serowe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Serowe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Serowe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Serowe

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Serowe

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇧🇼 Serowe

🕒 Local time

13:39 1:39 PM

12:39 12:39 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

47,447

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 BWP = 7.48 USD

100 BWP = 6.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 13.36 BWP (100 BWP = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Serowe 7,050 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Serowe

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1821%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $121 in Serowe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 222% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $110 in Serowe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Serowe, where all-in costs run around $80.7, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Serowe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Serowe – 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 Serowe. 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.