Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nouadhibou and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Nouadhibou: $263 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Nouadhibou
🇲🇷 Mauritania
$263
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,526
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $263 per month in Nouadhibou vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Nouadhibou $263
  • Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $486 per month in Nouadhibou vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Nouadhibou $486
  • Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $708 per month in Nouadhibou vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Nouadhibou $708
  • Istanbul $3,272

Nouadhibou is about 83% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Nouadhibou sits 80% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.93 MRU 118
$11.88 ₺585
-75.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.96 MRU 679
$55.1 ₺2,714
-69.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.99 MRU 240
$9.14 ₺450
-34.46%
Cappuccino
$2.58 MRU 103
$4.24 ₺209
-39.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.75 ₺86.0
-
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
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 MRU 50.8
$1.26 ₺62.1
0.79%
White Bread (500g)
$0.35 MRU 14.10
$0.95 ₺46.81
-63.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 MRU 45.96
$2.31 ₺114
-50.22%
Eggs
$2.12 MRU 84.8
$2.47 ₺122
-14.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.55 ₺520
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.68 MRU 107
$5.60 ₺276
-52.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.17 MRU 247
$21.21 ₺1,045
-70.91%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 MRU 70.7
$1.93 ₺95.1
-8.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 MRU 59.4
$2.29 ₺113
-35.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.09 MRU 43.61
$1.28 ₺63.1
-14.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.77 MRU 30.86
$1.84 ₺90.8
-58.15%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 MRU 28.95
$0.67 ₺32.86
7.46%
Onion (1kg)
$0.68 MRU 27.41
$0.59 ₺29.31
15.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 MRU 23.67
$1.33 ₺65.4
-55.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.59 ₺29.10
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.45 MRU 98.1
$2.36 ₺116
3.81%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.47 ₺664
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.42 ₺119
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.54 ₺174
-
🚌 Getting Around
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 MRU 14.16
$0.83 ₺40.64
-57.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$66.5 ₺3,273
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.91 MRU 36.47
$1.35 ₺66.6
-32.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.85 ₺42.05
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.28 MRU 292
$10.86 ₺535
-32.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 MRU 49.07
$1.47 ₺72.3
-16.33%
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
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
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
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$77.3 ₺3,805
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.66 ₺1,116
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$8.34 ₺411
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$974 ₺48.0K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$25.8K ₺1.3M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
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
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$65.2 MRU 2,611
$994 ₺49.0K
-93.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$97.4 MRU 3,899
$629 ₺31.0K
-84.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,024 ₺99.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$253 MRU 10.1K
$1,155 ₺56.9K
-78.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,160 ₺155.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,838 ₺90.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nouadhibou
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,203 ₺59.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
41.09
-

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

Last update for Nouadhibou: October 6, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$629
Groceries & Markets
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$264
Eating Out
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$218
Clothing & Footwear
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$131
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$117
Sport & Entertainment
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$94
Getting Around
Nouadhibou
–
Istanbul
$75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $65.2 in Nouadhibou versus $994 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Nouadhibou versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $93.0 vs $264 – making Nouadhibou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇷 Nouadhibou
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
11:55 11:55 AM
14:55 2:55 PM
3 h ahead of Nouadhibou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
85,953
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MRU – Mauritanian Ouguiya Converter

Mauritanian Ouguiya exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.04 MRU (100 MRU = 2.5 USD). 1 EUR = 44.87 MRU (100 MRU = 2.23 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nouadhibou Istanbul 4,850 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nouadhibou
  • 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
Nouadhibou vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Nouadhibou?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 480%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $395 per month in Nouadhibou and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nouadhibou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Nouadhibou and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 184% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Nouadhibou or in Istanbul?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Nouadhibou and $55.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Nouadhibou or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nouadhibou, where all-in costs run around $263, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Nouadhibou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nouadhibou or Istanbul more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nouadhibou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nouadhibou or Istanbul?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nouadhibou. 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.

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