Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Zambia

Name: Zambia
Address: ZM

For one person, living is cheaper in Zambia: $905 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Zambia
Learn more

Zambia Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

🇿🇲 Zambia

$905

/mo nomad

😐 Solo nomad: Istanbul is 25.7% more expensive than Zambia without rent, and 68.6% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Istanbul is 32.3% more expensive than Zambia without rent, and 40.7% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$6.84 ZMW 136

73.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

$30.13 ZMW 597

82.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$5.20 ZMW 103

75.77%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$3.03 ZMW 60.1

39.93%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.78 ZMW 15.38

124.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.49 ZMW 9.72

10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$1.30 ZMW 25.73

260.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$2.53 ZMW 50.3

135.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$1.88 ZMW 37.25

-32.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.81

$1.23 ZMW 24.32

-22.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.44 ZMW 48.42

-5.33%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$1.84 ZMW 36.42

34.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$10.44 ZMW 207

1.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$6.54 ZMW 130

-14.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$6.13 ZMW 122

246.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$3.48 ZMW 68.9

-44.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.14 ZMW 42.42

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.51 ZMW 69.5

-63.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$1.57 ZMW 31.15

17.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.86

$2.81 ZMW 55.7

-76.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.90 ZMW 37.77

-68.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$1.15 ZMW 22.88

15.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.10

$0.71 ZMW 14.09

-16.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$2.84 ZMW 56.3

-16.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$10.13 ZMW 201

32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.41 ZMW 27.94

71.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$2.10 ZMW 41.62

68.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.98 ZMW 19.52

-15.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

$50.2 ZMW 995

32.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$2.57 ZMW 50.9

-47.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$1.69 ZMW 33.60

-49.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$8.94 ZMW 177

21.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.46 ZMW 28.88

0.68%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$6,225 ZMW 123.4K

729.33%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$38.8K ZMW 768.5K

14.69%

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

$89.7 ZMW 1,778

-0.49%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$10.95 ZMW 217

5.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$58.9 ZMW 1,169

-72.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

$50.3 ZMW 998

53.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$16.39 ZMW 325

38.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$6.80 ZMW 135

22.65%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$142 ZMW 2,821

584.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$16.8K ZMW 333.1K

53.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$24.56 ZMW 487

114.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

$14.64 ZMW 290

167.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

$59.2 ZMW 1,174

74.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

$75.9 ZMW 1,505

27.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$453 ZMW 8,980

119.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$174 ZMW 3,443

262.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$1,074 ZMW 21.3K

88.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$720 ZMW 14.3K

60.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$3,941 ZMW 78.1K

-19.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$6,414 ZMW 127.2K

-71.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$428 ZMW 8,485

181.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

26.25

56.53%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Zambia: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Zambia

$174 19.2% 72.4% $456

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Zambia

$240 26.5% 9.3% $24

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Zambia

$123 13.7% 43.4% $95

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Zambia

$78 8.7% 40.2% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Zambia

$160 17.7% 36.5% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Zambia

$64 7.1% 32% $30

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Zambia

$65 7.2% 13.6% $10

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇿🇲 Zambia

🕒 Local time

13:42 1:42 PM

12:42 12:42 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

19,610,769

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.04 USD

100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, 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 = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 19.83 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.04 USD). 1 EUR = 22.22 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.5 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Zambia 6,270 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Zambia

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 other spots: cost of living compared

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