Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Windhoek and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Windhoek: $1,171 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Windhoek
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Windhoek Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Windhoek

🇳🇦 Namibia

$1,171

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,171 per month in Windhoek vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Windhoek $1,171
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Windhoek vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Windhoek $1,979
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $2,787 per month in Windhoek vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Windhoek $2,787
Istanbul $3,272

Windhoek is about 23% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Windhoek sits 13% below the global median, while Istanbul is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.46 NAD 189

$11.88 ₺585

-3.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.0 NAD 1,040

$55.1 ₺2,714

14.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 NAD 96.4

$9.14 ₺450

-36.11%

Cappuccino

$2.35 NAD 38.73

$4.24 ₺209

-44.58%

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

$0.87 NAD 14.32

$1.75 ₺86.0

-50.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 NAD 14.41

$0.54 ₺26.83

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 NAD 32.67

$4.69 ₺231

-57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 NAD 34.95

$5.97 ₺294

-64.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 NAD 25.27

$1.26 ₺62.1

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 NAD 15.62

$0.95 ₺46.81

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NAD 31.81

$2.31 ₺114

-16.45%

Eggs

$3.17 NAD 52.3

$2.47 ₺122

28.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 NAD 156

$10.55 ₺520

-10.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 NAD 109

$5.60 ₺276

18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 NAD 125

$21.21 ₺1,045

-64.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 NAD 35.47

$1.93 ₺95.1

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 NAD 31.21

$2.29 ₺113

-17.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 NAD 31.07

$1.28 ₺63.1

46.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 NAD 32.61

$1.84 ₺90.8

7.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 NAD 33.07

$0.67 ₺32.86

198.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 NAD 30.00

$0.59 ₺29.31

208.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NAD 32.14

$1.33 ₺65.4

46.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 NAD 17.64

$0.59 ₺29.10

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 NAD 54.8

$2.36 ₺116

40.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 NAD 112

$13.47 ₺664

-49.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NAD 23.19

$2.42 ₺119

-41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 NAD 23.47

$3.54 ₺174

-59.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 NAD 12.25

$0.83 ₺40.64

-10.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.69 NAD 803

$66.5 ₺3,273

-26.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 NAD 13.50

$1.35 ₺66.6

-39.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 NAD 14.34

$0.85 ₺42.05

2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.56 NAD 257

$10.86 ₺535

43.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 NAD 22.10

$1.47 ₺72.3

-8.84%

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

$24.3K NAD 400.3K

$51.6K ₺2.5M

-53.01%

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

$27.1K NAD 447.1K

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-39.03%

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

$139 NAD 2,287

$89.2 ₺4,395

55.32%

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

$25.91 NAD 428

$11.60 ₺572

123.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.4 NAD 847

$16.10 ₺793

218.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.58 NAD 620

$77.3 ₺3,805

-51.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.56 NAD 174

$22.66 ₺1,116

-53.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 NAD 87.7

$8.34 ₺411

-36.21%

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

$209 NAD 3,445

$974 ₺48.0K

-78.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,376 NAD 88.7K

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-79.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 NAD 890

$52.7 ₺2,597

2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.95 NAD 560

$39.16 ₺1,929

-13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 NAD 1,501

$103 ₺5,083

-11.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 NAD 1,574

$96.6 ₺4,759

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 NAD 8,120

$994 ₺49.0K

-50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 NAD 5,885

$629 ₺31.0K

-43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 NAD 18.8K

$2,024 ₺99.7K

-43.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 NAD 14.3K

$1,155 ₺56.9K

-24.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,615 NAD 26.6K

$3,160 ₺155.7K

-48.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$601 NAD 9,922

$1,838 ₺90.5K

-67.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$989 NAD 16.3K

$1,203 ₺59.3K

-17.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

41.09

-72.21%

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

Last update for Windhoek: 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

Windhoek

$357 30.2%

Istanbul

$629 41.2% 76.4% $273

Groceries & Markets

Windhoek

$223 18.8%

Istanbul

$264 17.3% 18.5% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Windhoek

$216 18.3%

Istanbul

$117 7.7% 45.8% $99

Eating Out

Windhoek

$159 13.4%

Istanbul

$218 14.3% 37.5% $59

Clothing & Footwear

Windhoek

$123 10.4%

Istanbul

$131 8.6% 6.4% $7.8

Getting Around

Windhoek

$57 4.8%

Istanbul

$75 4.9% 32.6% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Windhoek

$48 4.1%

Istanbul

$94 6.1% 94.8% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Windhoek 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.

Salaries run about 22% 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 $63.0 in Windhoek versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Windhoek vs $264 in Istanbul – so Windhoek wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇳🇦 Windhoek

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:22 9:22 AM

10:22 10:22 AM

1 h ahead of Windhoek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

322,500 Capital

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Namibian Dollar NAD $

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 NAD = 6.06 USD

100 NAD = 5.4 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to NAD – Namibian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇦 Namibian Dollar ($)

Namibian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 16.5 NAD (100 NAD = 6.06 USD). 1 EUR = 18.51 NAD (100 NAD = 5.4 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 NAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Windhoek Istanbul 7,170 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Windhoek
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

Windhoek vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 30%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,756 per month in Windhoek and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Windhoek and $974 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Windhoek, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Windhoek it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Windhoek – 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 Windhoek. 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.