Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sumba

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumba: $213 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half 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

Sumba

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

$213

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sumba

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $213 in Sumba, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Sumba $213

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $285 in Sumba, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Sumba $285

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $357 in Sumba, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Sumba $357

Istanbul costs about 618% more than Sumba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Sumba is 84% 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

$2.32 FOK 15.52

-45.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$10.63 FOK 71.0

-77.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$12.06 FOK 80.6

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$2.26 FOK 15.13

7.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.84 FOK 12.31

92.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$4.51 FOK 30.10

-81.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.92 FOK 12.86

-23.44%

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

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$61.9 FOK 414

-74.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$37.94 FOK 253

103.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$15.51 FOK 104

-46.23%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

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

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

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 Sumba: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Sumba

–

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Sumba

–

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Sumba

–

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Sumba

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Sumba

–

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Sumba

–

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Sumba

–

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇫🇴 Sumba

🕒 Local time

08:14 8:14 AM

06:14 6:14 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

300

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Faroese Króna FOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1 FOK = 0.15 USD

1 FOK = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

FOK, 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 = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 FOK (1 FOK = 0.133 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Sumba 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sumba

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 Sumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 618%, 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 $319 in Sumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,526 in Istanbul and $213 in Sumba. That's a gap of about 618%.

Groceries cost about 323% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumba, where all-in costs run around $213, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Sumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sumba – 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 Sumba. 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.