Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Essaouira and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Essaouira: $782 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Essaouira
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Essaouira Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Essaouira

🇲🇦 Morocco

$782

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $782 per month in Essaouira vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Essaouira $782
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,172 per month in Essaouira vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Essaouira $1,172
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,562 per month in Essaouira vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Essaouira $1,562
Istanbul $3,281

Essaouira is about 50% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 MAD 45.00

$12.30 ₺609

-62.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 MAD 183

$54.7 ₺2,708

-65.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 MAD 69.4

$9.22 ₺456

-22.78%

Cappuccino

$1.35 MAD 13.14

$4.40 ₺218

-69.32%

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

$0.47 MAD 4.58

$1.68 ₺83.1

-72.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.68

$0.59 ₺29.40

-35.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.31 MAD 51.8

$4.70 ₺233

12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MAD 44.93

$5.91 ₺292

-22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 MAD 8.79

$1.21 ₺60.0

-25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MAD 5.25

$0.89 ₺44.10

-39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MAD 16.28

$2.19 ₺108

-23.74%

Eggs

$1.68 MAD 16.37

$2.35 ₺116

-28.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 MAD 80.6

$10.42 ₺516

-20.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 MAD 56.6

$5.65 ₺280

2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 MAD 104

$20.94 ₺1,037

-49.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 MAD 12.63

$1.90 ₺94.1

-31.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MAD 11.12

$2.31 ₺114

-50.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 MAD 7.02

$1.28 ₺63.1

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.52

$1.80 ₺89.0

-57.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MAD 5.67

$0.65 ₺32.16

-10.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 MAD 6.66

$0.64 ₺31.91

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 MAD 3.67

$1.25 ₺62.1

-69.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MAD 5.68

$0.56 ₺27.58

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 MAD 37.44

$2.37 ₺118

62.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 MAD 61.6

$13.42 ₺664

-52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 MAD 17.76

$2.40 ₺119

-24.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 MAD 20.77

$3.48 ₺172

-38.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 MAD 7.99

$0.89 ₺43.84

-7.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 MAD 6.22

$1.29 ₺64.1

-50.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MAD 6.19

$0.92 ₺45.70

-31.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MAD 14.16

$1.47 ₺72.9

-1.36%

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

$34.6K MAD 337.3K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-31.88%

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

$29.5K MAD 287.8K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-33.72%

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

$23.89 MAD 233

$88.6 ₺4,387

-73.04%

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

$17.25 MAD 168

$11.59 ₺574

48.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.01 MAD 293

$15.81 ₺783

89.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 MAD 51.7

$8.14 ₺403

-34.89%

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

$69.0 MAD 672

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-93.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,875 MAD 18.3K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-92.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.38 MAD 286

$54.0 ₺2,671

-45.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.72 MAD 436

$40.83 ₺2,021

9.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 MAD 576

$98.9 ₺4,895

-40.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.76 MAD 407

$96.6 ₺4,783

-56.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 MAD 3,835

$985 ₺48.7K

-60.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 MAD 3,217

$650 ₺32.2K

-49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 MAD 9,071

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-53.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 MAD 5,433

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-52.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$256 MAD 2,498

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-78.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

40.92

-84.12%

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

Last update for Essaouira: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Essaouira

$330 42.2%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 96.9% $320

Groceries & Markets

Essaouira

$171 21.9%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 51.7% $89

Eating Out

Essaouira

$114 14.5%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 96.5% $110

Clothing & Footwear

Essaouira

$79 10.1%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 66% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Essaouira

$71 9.1%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 63% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Essaouira

$11 * 1.4%

Istanbul

$93 6% 782% $83

Getting Around

Essaouira

$7.1 * 0.9%

Istanbul

$77 5% 984% $70

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Essaouira 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 370% 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 $19.00 in Essaouira versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $260 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇦 Essaouira

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

19:15 7:15 PM

21:15 9:15 PM

2 h ahead of Essaouira

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,966

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇦 Moroccan Dirham (د.م.)

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to MAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Essaouira Istanbul 3,600 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Essaouira
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

Essaouira vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,173 per month in Essaouira 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 Essaouira, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Essaouira and $55.0 in Istanbul. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% 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 Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – 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 Essaouira. 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.