Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Tetouan

For one person, living is cheaper in Tetouan: $662 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Tetouan
Learn more

Tetouan Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Tetouan

🇲🇦 Morocco

$662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Tetouan

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $662 in Tetouan, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Tetouan $662

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $999 in Tetouan, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Tetouan $999

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $1,336 in Tetouan, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Tetouan $1,336

Istanbul costs about 134% more than Tetouan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Tetouan is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$3.04 MAD 29.61

304.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$17.99 MAD 175

204.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$8.23 MAD 80.2

12.03%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$1.86 MAD 18.09

136.56%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$0.75 MAD 7.27

124.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$0.33 MAD 3.21

78.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$2.62 MAD 25.54

79.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$3.06 MAD 29.82

93.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$0.89 MAD 8.70

35.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$0.19 MAD 1.85

368.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.96 MAD 19.14

11.73%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$1.60 MAD 15.58

46.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$5.90 MAD 57.5

76.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.93 MAD 67.5

-18.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$12.23 MAD 119

71.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.63 MAD 15.88

16.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.38 MAD 13.48

67.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$0.88 MAD 8.63

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$0.86 MAD 8.42

109.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.90 MAD 8.80

-27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$0.73 MAD 7.16

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$0.53 MAD 5.16

135.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.63 MAD 6.13

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$3.83 MAD 37.32

-38.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$8.34 MAD 81.3

60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.15 MAD 20.99

11.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.54 MAD 24.72

37.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.54 MAD 5.23

64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$12.56 MAD 122

436.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$0.75 MAD 7.34

72.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$0.85 MAD 8.29

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$3.30 MAD 32.20

232.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.53 MAD 14.95

-3.92%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$33.9K MAD 330.4K

49.86%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$30.8K MAD 300.3K

44.57%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$43.42 MAD 423

104.08%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$10.72 MAD 105

8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$41.31 MAD 403

-61.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$15.00 MAD 146

414.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$12.02 MAD 117

89.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$3.83 MAD 37.34

112.53%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$48.53 MAD 473

1977.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$5,823 MAD 56.8K

338.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$18.06 MAD 176

198.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$47.28 MAD 461

-13.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$55.8 MAD 544

77.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$65.1 MAD 635

48.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$202 MAD 1,969

387.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$160 MAD 1,565

304.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$405 MAD 3,952

389.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$254 MAD 2,481

363.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$1,092 MAD 10.6K

187.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$744 MAD 7,251

139.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$405 MAD 3,945

197.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

5.5

644.00%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Tetouan: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Tetouan

$160 24.3% 75.3% $489

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Tetouan

$185 27.9% 28.9% $75

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Tetouan

$95 14.3% 57.6% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Tetouan

$84 12.7% 35.8% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Tetouan

$95 14.4% 17.7% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Tetouan

$23 3.4% 75.7% $71

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Tetouan

$20 3% 74.4% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $202 in Tetouan. 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 198% 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 $18.00 in Tetouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $185 – making Tetouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇲🇦 Tetouan

🕒 Local time

23:20 11:20 PM

21:20 9:20 PM

2 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

380,787

💱 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.67 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

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).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Tetouan 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Tetouan

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 Tetouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 134%, 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 $992 in Tetouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tetouan, 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 $48.53 in Tetouan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Tetouan, where all-in costs run around $662, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Tetouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tetouan – 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 Tetouan. 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.