Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumba and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Sumba: $213 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 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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Sumba

🇫🇴 Faroe Islands

$213

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $213 per month in Sumba vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sumba $213
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $285 per month in Sumba vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sumba $285
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $357 per month in Sumba vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Sumba $357
Istanbul $3,272

Sumba is about 86% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sumba sits 84% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 FOK 15.52

$1.26 ₺62.1

84.13%

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)

$10.63 FOK 71.0

$2.36 ₺116

350.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 FOK 80.6

$13.47 ₺664

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 FOK 15.13

$2.42 ₺119

-6.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 FOK 12.31

$3.54 ₺174

-48.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.51 FOK 30.10

$0.83 ₺40.64

443.37%

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)

$1.92 FOK 12.86

$1.47 ₺72.3

30.61%

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)

$61.9 FOK 414

$16.10 ₺793

284.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 FOK 253

$77.3 ₺3,805

-50.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$15.51 FOK 104

$8.34 ₺411

85.97%

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)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Sumba: October 5, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Groceries & Markets

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Eating Out

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Getting Around

Sumba

–

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Good to know

🇫🇴 Sumba

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

11:17 11:17 AM

13:17 1:17 PM

2 h ahead of Sumba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

300

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Faroese Króna FOK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 FOK = 0.15 USD

1 FOK = 0.134 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to FOK – Faroese Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇴 Faroese Króna (kr)

Faroese Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 FOK (1 FOK = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.49 FOK (1 FOK = 0.134 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).

USD to FOK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sumba Istanbul 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sumba
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

Sumba vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 618%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $319 per month in Sumba and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $213 in Sumba and $1,526 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 618%.

Groceries cost about 323% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sumba, where all-in costs run around $213, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Sumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sumba – 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 Sumba. 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.