Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Takoradi

For one person, living is cheaper in Takoradi: $566 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Takoradi
🇬🇭 Ghana
$566
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Takoradi

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $566 in Takoradi, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,550
  • Takoradi $566

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $952 in Takoradi, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,415
  • Takoradi $952

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,338 in Takoradi, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,281
  • Takoradi $1,338

Istanbul costs about 174% more than Takoradi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Takoradi is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.30 ₺609
$8.11 GHS 94.3
51.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.7 ₺2,708
$50.1 GHS 583
9.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 ₺456
$10.48 GHS 122
-12.02%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$4.38 GHS 50.9
0.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₺83.1
$1.60 GHS 18.64
5.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ₺29.40
$0.44 GHS 5.14
34.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.70 ₺233
$1.81 GHS 21.09
159.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91 ₺292
$2.19 GHS 25.45
169.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 ₺60.0
$1.41 GHS 16.36
-14.18%
White Bread (500g)
$0.89 ₺44.10
$1.03 GHS 12.01
-13.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 ₺108
$1.73 GHS 20.10
26.59%
Eggs
$2.35 ₺116
$2.57 GHS 29.87
-8.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.42 ₺516
$11.74 GHS 137
-11.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.65 ₺280
$4.61 GHS 53.6
22.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.94 ₺1,037
$2.61 GHS 30.33
702.30%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 ₺94.1
$2.40 GHS 27.95
-20.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 ₺114
$0.87 GHS 10.11
165.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.1
$1.05 GHS 12.21
21.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 ₺89.0
$1.73 GHS 20.13
4.05%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₺32.16
$2.27 GHS 26.36
-71.37%
Onion (1kg)
$0.64 ₺31.91
$1.86 GHS 21.65
-65.59%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₺62.1
$0.74 GHS 8.56
68.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.58
$0.24 GHS 2.78
133.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.37 ₺118
$2.53 GHS 29.47
-6.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.42 ₺664
$7.19 GHS 83.6
86.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₺119
$0.31 GHS 3.64
674.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 ₺172
$2.43 GHS 28.27
43.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
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
$1.74 GHS 20.26
-25.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 ₺45.70
$1.24 GHS 14.44
-25.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 ₺542
$4.19 GHS 48.76
161.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ₺72.9
$1.35 GHS 15.76
8.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.8K ₺2.5M
$7,998 GHS 93.0K
535.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₺2.2M
$9,720 GHS 113.0K
358.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.6 ₺4,387
$72.3 GHS 841
22.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.59 ₺574
$19.30 GHS 224
-39.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.81 ₺783
$41.81 GHS 486
-62.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.2 ₺3,820
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.74 ₺1,126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.14 ₺403
$12.67 GHS 147
-35.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,008 ₺49.9K
$463 GHS 5,389
117.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K ₺1.3M
$18.4K GHS 214.1K
38.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.0 ₺2,671
$14.16 GHS 165
281.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.83 ₺2,021
$18.49 GHS 215
120.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.9 ₺4,895
$36.33 GHS 422
172.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.6 ₺4,783
$51.7 GHS 601
86.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
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
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Takoradi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.92
26.75
52.97%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Takoradi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$650
Takoradi
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$260
Takoradi
$175 32.6% $85
Eating Out
Istanbul
$223
Takoradi
$170 23.7% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$131
Takoradi
$54 58.4% $76
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$116
Takoradi
$133 15% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Takoradi
$25 * 72.9% $68
Getting Around
Istanbul
$77
Takoradi
$8 * 89.7% $69

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $50.0 in Takoradi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $175 – making Takoradi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇬🇭 Takoradi
🕒 Local time
23:12 11:12 PM
20:12 8:12 PM
3 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
539,548
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GHS, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 11.63 GHS (100 GHS = 8.6 USD). 1 EUR = 13.08 GHS (100 GHS = 7.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Takoradi 5,050 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Takoradi

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 Takoradi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Takoradi cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 174%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $850 in Takoradi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Istanbul or in Takoradi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul and $50.0 in Takoradi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Istanbul and in Takoradi?
Groceries cost about 48% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Takoradi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Takoradi, where all-in costs run around $566, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Takoradi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Takoradi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Takoradi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Takoradi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Takoradi. 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.

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