Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Oued Zem

For one person, living is cheaper in Oued Zem: $744 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Oued Zem
Learn more

Oued Zem Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Oued Zem

🇲🇦 Morocco

$744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Oued Zem

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $744 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Oued Zem $744

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,188 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Oued Zem $1,188

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,633 in Oued Zem, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Oued Zem $1,633

Istanbul costs about 108% more than Oued Zem, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Oued Zem is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$4.23 MAD 41.20

190.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$41.45 MAD 404

31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$7.16 MAD 69.8

28.77%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.97 MAD 19.23

123.35%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.54 MAD 5.25

211.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.37 MAD 3.56

59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$5.08 MAD 49.57

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.28 MAD 31.95

80.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.84 MAD 8.16

44.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.63 MAD 6.09

41.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.89 MAD 18.40

15.87%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.89 MAD 18.42

24.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$11.57 MAD 113

-9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.72 MAD 65.6

-15.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$12.01 MAD 117

74.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.62 MAD 15.82

17.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.38 MAD 13.50

67.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.82 MAD 8.00

56.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.83 MAD 8.13

116.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.69 MAD 6.71

-5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.76 MAD 7.36

-15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.40 MAD 3.93

212.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.65 MAD 6.34

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$4.15 MAD 40.43

-42.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$7.61 MAD 74.2

76.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.62 MAD 25.51

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.73 MAD 26.60

27.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.52 MAD 5.10

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$18.72 MAD 183

260.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.70 MAD 6.86

84.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.75 MAD 7.30

22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$4.02 MAD 39.19

172.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.51 MAD 14.72

-2.65%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$30.9K MAD 301.7K

64.11%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$30.9K MAD 301.7K

43.90%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$36.62 MAD 357

141.97%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$10.06 MAD 98.0

15.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$34.17 MAD 333

-53.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$29.12 MAD 284

164.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$20.76 MAD 202

9.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$6.16 MAD 60.0

32.14%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$185 MAD 1,807

443.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$9,495 MAD 92.6K

169.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$49.33 MAD 481

9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$40.51 MAD 395

0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$93.8 MAD 915

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$65.2 MAD 636

48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$278 MAD 2,712

253.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$165 MAD 1,607

294.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$478 MAD 4,664

314.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$246 MAD 2,398

379.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$1,115 MAD 10.9K

181.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$767 MAD 7,480

132.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$239 MAD 2,333

403.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

4.55

799.34%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Oued Zem: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Oued Zem

$165 22.2% 74.6% $485

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Oued Zem

$205 27.5% 21.2% $55

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Oued Zem

$115 15.4% 48.7% $109

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Oued Zem

$112 15.1% 14.2% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Oued Zem

$81 10.9% 30.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Oued Zem

$41 5.6% 55.7% $52

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Oued Zem

$25 3.4% 67.1% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $278 in Oued Zem. 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 404% 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 $41.00 in Oued Zem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $205 – making Oued Zem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇦 Oued Zem

🕒 Local time

12:25 12:25 PM

10:25 10:25 AM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

95,267

💱 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 Oued Zem 3,260 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Oued Zem

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 Oued Zem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 108%, 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 $1,116 in Oued Zem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oued Zem, 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 $185 in Oued Zem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 Oued Zem, where all-in costs run around $744, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Oued Zem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oued Zem – 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 Oued Zem. 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.