Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Laayoune

For one person, living is cheaper in Laayoune: $118 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $16,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Laayoune
Learn more

Laayoune Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Laayoune

🇪🇭 Western Sahara

$118

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Laayoune

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 Laayoune actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $118 in Laayoune, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Laayoune $118

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $168 in Laayoune, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Laayoune $168

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $218 in Laayoune, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Laayoune $218

Istanbul costs about 1198% more than Laayoune, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Laayoune is 91% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$4.07 MAD 39.58

191.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$3.35 MAD 32.60

172.84%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$1.97 MAD 19.20

115.23%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$0.41 MAD 4.02

326.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

$0.31 MAD 3.04

74.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

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)

$2.36 ₺116

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

$0.68 MAD 6.58

22.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$0.68 MAD 6.60

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

$0.68 MAD 6.66

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.33 MAD 12.94

10.53%

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)

$16.10 ₺793

$19.80 MAD 193

-18.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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

$44.51 MAD 433

18.42%

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 Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Laayoune: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Laayoune

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Laayoune

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Laayoune

$69 * 59.7% 68.3% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Laayoune

$20 * 17.3% 84.7% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Laayoune

$20 * 17.1% 83.1% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Laayoune

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Laayoune

$6.8 * 5.9% 91% $69

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

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇪🇭 Laayoune

🕒 Local time

15:11 3:11 PM

13:11 1:11 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

196,331 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

100 MAD = 10.27 USD

100 MAD = 9.17 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.2 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.74 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.91 MAD (100 MAD = 9.17 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Laayoune 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Laayoune

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 Laayoune: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 1198%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $176 in Laayoune. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Laayoune, where all-in costs run around $118, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Laayoune it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Laayoune – 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 Laayoune. 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.