Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Juba and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Juba: $236 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Juba

🇸🇸 South Sudan

$236

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Juba and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Juba and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $236 per month in Juba vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Juba $236
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $366 per month in Juba vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Juba $366
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $496 per month in Juba vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Juba $496
Istanbul $3,272

Juba is about 85% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Juba sits 82% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.91 SSP 112.9K

$11.88 ₺585

67.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 SSP 54.2K

$9.14 ₺450

4.49%

Cappuccino

$3.44 SSP 19.5K

$4.24 ₺209

-18.87%

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

$1.52 SSP 8,639

$1.75 ₺86.0

-13.14%

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

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

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

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

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

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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)

$1,796 SSP 10.2M

$1,203 ₺59.3K

49.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

-70.80%

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

Last update for Juba: October 3, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Juba

–

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Groceries & Markets

Juba

–

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Eating Out

Juba

–

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Juba

–

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Juba

–

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Juba

–

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Getting Around

Juba

–

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 49% higher in Juba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇸🇸 Juba

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:24 9:24 AM

10:24 10:24 AM

1 h ahead of Juba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

372,410 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

South Sudanese Pound SSP £

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 SSP = 1.76 USD

10,000 SSP = 1.57 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to SSP – South Sudanese Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇸 South Sudanese Pound (£)

South Sudanese Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5,670 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,360 SSP (10,000 SSP = 1.57 EUR).

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).

USD to SSP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Juba Istanbul 4,030 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Juba
Istanbul

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

Juba vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 547%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $354 per month in Juba and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Juba, where all-in costs run around $236, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Juba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Juba – 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 Juba. 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.