Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Meknes

For one person, living is cheaper in Meknes: $683 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Meknes
Learn more

Meknes Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Meknes

🇲🇦 Morocco

$683

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Meknes

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $683 in Meknes, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Meknes $683

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,051 in Meknes, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Meknes $1,051

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,419 in Meknes, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Meknes $1,419

Istanbul costs about 127% more than Meknes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Meknes is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$3.18 MAD 31.03

286.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$15.67 MAD 153

249.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$6.07 MAD 59.2

51.89%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.21 MAD 11.84

263.64%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.90 MAD 8.77

86.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.44 MAD 4.32

34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$3.06 MAD 29.86

53.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.66 MAD 35.72

61.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.83 MAD 8.11

45.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.39 MAD 3.78

128.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.29 MAD 12.62

69.77%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.85 MAD 18.03

27.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$11.05 MAD 108

-5.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$5.32 MAD 51.9

6.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$9.21 MAD 89.8

127.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.20 MAD 11.74

58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.32 MAD 12.91

75.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.64 MAD 6.26

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.72 MAD 7.03

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.54 MAD 5.25

20.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.55 MAD 5.40

16.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.49 MAD 4.75

155.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.55 MAD 5.37

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$4.15 MAD 40.42

-42.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$8.23 MAD 80.3

63.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.38 MAD 23.23

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.63 MAD 25.65

32.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.40 MAD 3.90

122.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$15.76 MAD 154

327.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.69 MAD 6.75

86.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.30 MAD 2.91

206.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$4.50 MAD 43.90

143.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.42 MAD 13.87

3.52%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$31.2K MAD 304.3K

62.70%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$30.9K MAD 301.3K

44.09%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$31.22 MAD 304

183.82%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$9.45 MAD 92.2

22.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$34.10 MAD 332

-53.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$28.52 MAD 278

170.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$32.68 MAD 319

-30.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$4.20 MAD 40.96

93.81%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$123 MAD 1,202

717.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$5,616 MAD 54.8K

355.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$60.7 MAD 591

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$44.86 MAD 437

-8.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$93.3 MAD 909

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$59.5 MAD 580

62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$267 MAD 2,599

269.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$172 MAD 1,674

278.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$457 MAD 4,460

333.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$287 MAD 2,802

310.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$965 MAD 9,406

225.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$603 MAD 5,876

195.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$475 MAD 4,632

153.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

4.5

809.33%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Meknes: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Meknes

$172 25.2% 73.6% $478

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Meknes

$177 26% 31.7% $82

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Meknes

$86 12.6% 61.4% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Meknes

$116 17% 11% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Meknes

$75 11% 35.6% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Meknes

$37 5.4% 60.5% $57

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Meknes

$20 2.9% 74.6% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $267 in Meknes. 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 154% 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 $16.00 in Meknes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $177 – making Meknes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇦 Meknes

🕒 Local time

18:12 6:12 PM

16:12 4:12 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

520,428

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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 Meknes 3,120 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Meknes

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 Meknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 127%, 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 $1,024 in Meknes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Meknes, 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 $123 in Meknes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 Meknes, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Meknes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Meknes – 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 Meknes. 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.