Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mutare and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Mutare: $789 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Mutare
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Mutare Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Mutare

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

$789

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mutare 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 Mutare and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $789 per month in Mutare vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mutare $789
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,220 per month in Mutare vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mutare $1,220
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,651 per month in Mutare vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Mutare $1,651
Istanbul $3,281

Mutare is about 49% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mutare sits 42% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.15 ZWL 270

$12.30 ₺609

-17.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.07 ZWL 1,199

$54.7 ₺2,708

-17.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 ZWL 118

$9.22 ₺456

-52.06%

Cappuccino

$1.28 ZWL 34.07

$4.40 ₺218

-70.91%

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

$0.73 ZWL 19.54

$1.68 ₺83.1

-56.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ZWL 12.11

$0.59 ₺29.40

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ZWL 32.33

$4.70 ₺233

-74.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ZWL 47.47

$5.91 ₺292

-69.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ZWL 32.42

$1.21 ₺60.0

0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 ZWL 26.14

$0.89 ₺44.10

10.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ZWL 35.28

$2.19 ₺108

-39.27%

Eggs

$1.87 ZWL 49.72

$2.35 ₺116

-20.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.92 ZWL 77.8

$10.42 ₺516

-71.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 ZWL 107

$5.65 ₺280

-28.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 ZWL 133

$20.94 ₺1,037

-76.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ZWL 54.3

$1.90 ₺94.1

7.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ZWL 45.15

$2.31 ₺114

-26.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ZWL 54.6

$1.28 ₺63.1

60.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ZWL 26.18

$1.80 ₺89.0

-45.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 ZWL 46.52

$0.65 ₺32.16

169.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ZWL 26.33

$0.64 ₺31.91

54.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ZWL 12.83

$1.25 ₺62.1

-61.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ZWL 26.41

$0.56 ₺27.58

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.18 ZWL 31.32

$2.37 ₺118

-50.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 ZWL 162

$13.42 ₺664

-54.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 ZWL 31.32

$2.40 ₺119

-50.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ZWL 45.96

$3.48 ₺172

-50.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 ZWL 20.48

$0.89 ₺43.84

-13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 ZWL 704

$67.4 ₺3,338

-60.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ZWL 80.3

$1.29 ₺64.1

134.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 ZWL 52.6

$0.92 ₺45.70

115.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 ZWL 131

$10.96 ₺542

-54.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 ZWL 49.42

$1.47 ₺72.9

26.53%

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

$21.6K ZWL 575.1K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-57.44%

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

$23.6K ZWL 629.3K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-46.89%

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

$50.7 ZWL 1,349

$88.6 ₺4,387

-42.77%

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

$14.72 ZWL 392

$11.59 ₺574

27.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 ZWL 1,580

$15.81 ₺783

275.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 ZWL 1,063

$77.2 ₺3,820

-48.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.05 ZWL 134

$22.74 ₺1,126

-77.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 ZWL 263

$8.14 ₺403

21.50%

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

$150 ZWL 4,002

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-85.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,553 ZWL 227.6K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-66.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.06 ZWL 268

$54.0 ₺2,671

-81.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.48 ZWL 252

$40.83 ₺2,021

-76.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.80 ZWL 660

$98.9 ₺4,895

-74.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.27 ZWL 539

$96.6 ₺4,783

-79.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ZWL 9,462

$985 ₺48.7K

-63.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ZWL 6,742

$650 ₺32.2K

-61.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 ZWL 19.9K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-62.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$395 ZWL 10.5K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-66.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$246 ZWL 6,539

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-92.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 ZWL 6,566

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-79.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.69

40.92

-66.54%

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

Last update for Mutare: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mutare

$253 32.1%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 157% $396

Groceries & Markets

Mutare

$155 19.6%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 67.7% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mutare

$125 15.8%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 7.1% $8.8

Eating Out

Mutare

$124 15.8%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 79.8% $99

Sport & Entertainment

Mutare

$60 7.6%

Istanbul

$93 6% 56.4% $34

Getting Around

Mutare

$42 5.4%

Istanbul

$77 5% 81.1% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Mutare

$29 3.7%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 349% $102

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Mutare versus $985 in Istanbul. 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 388% 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 $45.00 in Mutare versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $260 – making Mutare the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇼 Mutare

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

01:26 1:26 AM

1 h ahead of Mutare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

188,243

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Zimbabwean Dollar ZWL $

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZWL = 3.76 USD

100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to ZWL – Zimbabwean Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇼 Zimbabwean Dollar ($)

Zimbabwean Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 26.61 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.76 USD). 1 EUR = 29.92 ZWL (100 ZWL = 3.34 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to ZWL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mutare Istanbul 6,680 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Mutare
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

Mutare vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 97%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,183 per month in Mutare and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $150 per month in Mutare and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 68% 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 Mutare, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Mutare it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mutare – 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 Mutare. 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.