Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Windhoek

For one person, living is cheaper in Windhoek: $1,171 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Windhoek
Learn more

Windhoek Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Windhoek

🇳🇦 Namibia

$1,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Windhoek

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $1,171 in Windhoek, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Windhoek $1,171

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,979 in Windhoek, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Windhoek $1,979

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $2,787 in Windhoek, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Windhoek $2,787

Istanbul costs about 30% more than Windhoek, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Windhoek is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$11.46 NAD 189

3.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$63.0 NAD 1,040

-12.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$5.84 NAD 96.4

56.51%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$2.35 NAD 38.73

80.43%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.87 NAD 14.32

101.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.87 NAD 14.41

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.98 NAD 32.67

136.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$2.12 NAD 34.95

181.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$1.53 NAD 25.27

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$0.95 NAD 15.62

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.93 NAD 31.81

19.69%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$3.17 NAD 52.3

-22.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$9.47 NAD 156

11.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$6.63 NAD 109

-15.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$7.60 NAD 125

179.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.15 NAD 35.47

-10.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$1.89 NAD 31.21

21.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.88 NAD 31.07

-31.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.98 NAD 32.61

-7.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$2.00 NAD 33.07

-66.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.82 NAD 30.00

-67.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$1.95 NAD 32.14

-31.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$1.07 NAD 17.64

-44.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$3.32 NAD 54.8

-28.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$6.78 NAD 112

98.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.41 NAD 23.19

71.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.42 NAD 23.47

149.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.74 NAD 12.25

12.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$48.69 NAD 803

36.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.82 NAD 13.50

64.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$0.87 NAD 14.34

-2.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$15.56 NAD 257

-30.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.34 NAD 22.10

9.70%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$24.3K NAD 400.3K

112.81%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$27.1K NAD 447.1K

64.02%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$139 NAD 2,287

-35.62%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$25.91 NAD 428

-55.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$51.4 NAD 847

-68.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$37.58 NAD 620

105.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$10.56 NAD 174

114.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$5.32 NAD 87.7

56.77%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$209 NAD 3,445

366.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$5,376 NAD 88.7K

379.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$53.9 NAD 890

-2.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$33.95 NAD 560

15.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$91.0 NAD 1,501

13.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$95.4 NAD 1,574

1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$492 NAD 8,120

101.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$357 NAD 5,885

76.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$1,138 NAD 18.8K

77.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$868 NAD 14.3K

32.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$1,615 NAD 26.6K

95.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$601 NAD 9,922

205.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$989 NAD 16.3K

21.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

11.42

259.81%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Windhoek: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Windhoek

$357 30.2% 43.3% $273

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Windhoek

$223 18.8% 15.6% $41

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Windhoek

$159 13.4% 27.3% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Windhoek

$123 10.4% 6% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Windhoek

$216 18.3% 84.6% $99

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Windhoek

$48 4.1% 48.7% $46

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Windhoek

$57 4.8% 24.6% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $492 in Windhoek. 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 22% higher in Istanbul, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $63.0 in Windhoek. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Istanbul vs $223 in Windhoek – so Windhoek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🕒 Local time

08:10 8:10 AM

07:10 7:10 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

322,500 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Namibian Dollar NAD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 NAD = 6.06 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 NAD (100 NAD = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Windhoek 7,170 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Windhoek

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 Windhoek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,756 in Windhoek. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $209 in Windhoek. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Windhoek, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Windhoek it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Windhoek – 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 Windhoek. 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.