Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Yaounde

For one person, living is cheaper in Yaounde: $789 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Yaounde
Learn more

Yaounde Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Yaounde

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$789

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Yaounde

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $789 in Yaounde, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Yaounde $789

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,225 in Yaounde, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Yaounde $1,225

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $1,661 in Yaounde, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Yaounde $1,661

Istanbul costs about 93% more than Yaounde, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Yaounde is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$3.51 FCFA 2,051

238.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$50.5 FCFA 29.5K

9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$5.22 FCFA 3,053

75.10%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$1.96 FCFA 1,145

116.33%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$1.53 FCFA 898

14.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.54 FCFA 318

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.27 FCFA 744

269.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$1.73 FCFA 1,014

245.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$3.66 FCFA 2,143

-65.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.09 FCFA 638

-12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.32 FCFA 772

75.00%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$2.10 FCFA 1,228

17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$13.54 FCFA 7,923

-22.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$6.16 FCFA 3,605

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$6.70 FCFA 3,919

216.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$5.19 FCFA 3,037

-62.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.01 FCFA 1,178

13.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.02 FCFA 1,180

-36.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.37 FCFA 803

34.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$1.64 FCFA 960

-59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.45 FCFA 847

-59.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$1.09 FCFA 635

22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.66 FCFA 388

-10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$1.68 FCFA 981

40.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$8.32 FCFA 4,869

61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.37 FCFA 803

76.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$1.96 FCFA 1,146

80.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.58 FCFA 339

43.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$17.43 FCFA 10.2K

281.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.59 FCFA 343

128.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$0.45 FCFA 262

88.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$6.06 FCFA 3,546

79.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.41 FCFA 826

4.26%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$32.4K FCFA 19.0M

59.10%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$21.3K FCFA 12.5M

108.75%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$80.3 FCFA 47.0K

11.12%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$17.09 FCFA 9,997

-32.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$51.9 FCFA 30.4K

-68.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$23.33 FCFA 13.6K

231.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$7.27 FCFA 4,251

211.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$8.59 FCFA 5,025

-2.91%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$610 FCFA 357.1K

59.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$2,355 FCFA 1.4M

994.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$16.95 FCFA 9,915

210.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$27.00 FCFA 15.8K

45.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$25.98 FCFA 15.2K

297.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$55.7 FCFA 32.6K

73.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$140 FCFA 81.9K

609.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$185 FCFA 108.2K

240.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$409 FCFA 239.5K

394.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$211 FCFA 123.2K

448.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$847 FCFA 495.6K

273.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$593 FCFA 347.2K

209.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$190 FCFA 111.1K

533.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

216.08%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Yaounde: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Yaounde

$185 23.3% 70.6% $444

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Yaounde

$253 32% 4.1% $11

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Yaounde

$85 10.8% 60.8% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Yaounde

$57 7.1% 56.9% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Yaounde

$149 18.8% 27.7% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Yaounde

$41 5.1% 56.9% $53

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Yaounde

$23 2.9% 70% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $140 in Yaounde. 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 534% 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 $50.0 in Yaounde. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $253 – making Yaounde the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇨🇲 Yaounde

🕒 Local time

10:03 10:03 AM

08:03 8:03 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

1,817,524 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XAF, 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).

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.52 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Yaounde 4,480 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Yaounde

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 Yaounde: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 93%, 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 $1,183 in Yaounde. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yaounde, 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 $610 in Yaounde. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Yaounde, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Yaounde it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yaounde – 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 Yaounde. 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.