Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Khemisset

For one person, living is cheaper in Khemisset: $727 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Khemisset
Learn more

Khemisset Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Khemisset

🇲🇦 Morocco

$727

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Khemisset

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Istanbul and in Khemisset actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $727 in Khemisset, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Khemisset $727

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,148 in Khemisset, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Khemisset $1,148

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,568 in Khemisset, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Khemisset $1,568

Istanbul costs about 113% more than Khemisset, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Khemisset is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$1.60 MAD 15.56

668.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$36.09 MAD 352

51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$7.02 MAD 68.5

31.34%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$0.87 MAD 8.46

405.75%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.79 MAD 7.71

112.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.20 MAD 1.95

195.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$6.18 MAD 60.3

-23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$5.28 MAD 51.4

11.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.79 MAD 7.72

53.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.45 MAD 4.37

97.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.42 MAD 13.88

54.23%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.83 MAD 17.86

28.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.14 MAD 98.9

2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$7.02 MAD 68.5

-19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$8.44 MAD 82.3

148.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$0.92 MAD 8.95

106.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.10 MAD 10.75

110.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.73 MAD 7.14

75.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.39 MAD 3.81

361.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.61 MAD 5.92

6.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.60 MAD 5.88

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.46 MAD 4.52

171.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.58 MAD 5.69

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$4.13 MAD 40.31

-42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$9.24 MAD 90.1

45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$3.68 MAD 35.88

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$3.98 MAD 38.78

-12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.48 MAD 4.73

85.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$18.44 MAD 180

265.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.70 MAD 6.87

84.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.85 MAD 8.26

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$9.11 MAD 88.8

20.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.45 MAD 14.13

1.38%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$33.9K MAD 330.2K

49.95%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$30.1K MAD 293.7K

47.83%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$36.98 MAD 361

139.62%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$6.15 MAD 59.9

88.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$39.44 MAD 384

-59.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$12.98 MAD 127

494.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$22.75 MAD 222

-0.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$7.44 MAD 72.5

9.41%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$93.3 MAD 909

980.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$5,970 MAD 58.2K

328.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$36.80 MAD 359

46.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$48.97 MAD 477

-16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$99.1 MAD 966

-0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$105 MAD 1,028

-8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$231 MAD 2,255

325.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$182 MAD 1,777

256.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$488 MAD 4,757

306.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$301 MAD 2,932

292.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$1,338 MAD 13.0K

134.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$849 MAD 8,274

109.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$395 MAD 3,855

204.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

3.67

1014.99%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Khemisset: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Khemisset

$182 25.1% 71.9% $467

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Khemisset

$189 26% 27.2% $71

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Khemisset

$90 12.3% 59.8% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Khemisset

$131 18% 0% $0

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Khemisset

$83 11.4% 28.8% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Khemisset

$28 3.8% 70.2% $66

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Khemisset

$25 3.5% 67.1% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $231 in Khemisset. 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 205% 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $36.00 in Khemisset. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $189 – making Khemisset the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇦 Khemisset

🕒 Local time

11:00 11:00 AM

09:00 9:00 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

131,542

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Khemisset 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Khemisset

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

Istanbul vs Khemisset: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 113%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,091 in Khemisset. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $93.3 in Khemisset. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 Khemisset, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Khemisset it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Khemisset – 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 Khemisset. 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.