Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Khemisset and Istanbul

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.

Khemisset
🇲🇦 Morocco
$727
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Khemisset and in Istanbul

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

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

  • Khemisset $727
  • Istanbul $1,550

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

  • Khemisset $1,148
  • Istanbul $2,415

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

  • Khemisset $1,568
  • Istanbul $3,281

Khemisset is about 53% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.60 MAD 15.56
$12.30 ₺609
-86.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.09 MAD 352
$54.7 ₺2,708
-34.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.02 MAD 68.5
$9.22 ₺456
-23.86%
Cappuccino
$0.87 MAD 8.46
$4.40 ₺218
-80.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79 MAD 7.71
$1.68 ₺83.1
-52.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.20 MAD 1.95
$0.59 ₺29.40
-66.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.18 MAD 60.3
$4.70 ₺233
31.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.28 MAD 51.4
$5.91 ₺292
-10.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.79 MAD 7.72
$1.21 ₺60.0
-34.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 MAD 4.37
$0.89 ₺44.10
-49.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MAD 13.88
$2.19 ₺108
-35.16%
Eggs
$1.83 MAD 17.86
$2.35 ₺116
-22.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.14 MAD 98.9
$10.42 ₺516
-2.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.02 MAD 68.5
$5.65 ₺280
24.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.44 MAD 82.3
$20.94 ₺1,037
-59.69%
Apples (1kg)
$0.92 MAD 8.95
$1.90 ₺94.1
-51.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.10 MAD 10.75
$2.31 ₺114
-52.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.73 MAD 7.14
$1.28 ₺63.1
-42.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.39 MAD 3.81
$1.80 ₺89.0
-78.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.61 MAD 5.92
$0.65 ₺32.16
-6.15%
Onion (1kg)
$0.60 MAD 5.88
$0.64 ₺31.91
-6.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 MAD 4.52
$1.25 ₺62.1
-63.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58 MAD 5.69
$0.56 ₺27.58
3.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.13 MAD 40.31
$2.37 ₺118
74.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.24 MAD 90.1
$13.42 ₺664
-31.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.68 MAD 35.88
$2.40 ₺119
53.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98 MAD 38.78
$3.48 ₺172
14.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.48 MAD 4.73
$0.89 ₺43.84
-46.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.44 MAD 180
$67.4 ₺3,338
-72.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 MAD 6.87
$1.29 ₺64.1
-45.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.85 MAD 8.26
$0.92 ₺45.70
-7.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.11 MAD 88.8
$10.96 ₺542
-16.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MAD 14.13
$1.47 ₺72.9
-1.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K MAD 330.2K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-33.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K MAD 293.7K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-32.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$36.98 MAD 361
$88.6 ₺4,387
-58.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.15 MAD 59.9
$11.59 ₺574
-46.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.44 MAD 384
$15.81 ₺783
149.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.98 MAD 127
$77.2 ₺3,820
-83.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.75 MAD 222
$22.74 ₺1,126
0.04%
Cinema Ticket
$7.44 MAD 72.5
$8.14 ₺403
-8.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$93.3 MAD 909
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-90.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,970 MAD 58.2K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-76.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.80 MAD 359
$54.0 ₺2,671
-31.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.97 MAD 477
$40.83 ₺2,021
19.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.1 MAD 966
$98.9 ₺4,895
0.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 MAD 1,028
$96.6 ₺4,783
9.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$231 MAD 2,255
$985 ₺48.7K
-76.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$182 MAD 1,777
$650 ₺32.2K
-71.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$488 MAD 4,757
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-75.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$301 MAD 2,932
$1,180 ₺58.4K
-74.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,338 MAD 13.0K
$3,138 ₺155.4K
-57.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$849 MAD 8,274
$1,780 ₺88.1K
-52.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Khemisset
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$395 MAD 3,855
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-67.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.67
40.92
-91.03%

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

Last update for Khemisset: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Khemisset
$189
Istanbul
$260 37.3% $71
Accommodation & Living
Khemisset
$182
Istanbul
$650 256% $467
Clothing & Footwear
Khemisset
$131
Istanbul
$131 0% $0
Eating Out
Khemisset
$90
Istanbul
$223 149% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khemisset
$83
Istanbul
$116 40.5% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Khemisset
$28
Istanbul
$93 235% $66
Getting Around
Khemisset
$25
Istanbul
$77 204% $52

Cost Breakdown

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

Good to know
🇲🇦 Khemisset
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
07:28 7:28 AM
09:28 9:28 AM
2 h ahead of Khemisset
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
131,542
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MAD – Moroccan Dirham Converter

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).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Khemisset Istanbul 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Khemisset
  • Istanbul

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
Khemisset vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Khemisset?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 113%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,091 per month in Khemisset and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $93.3 per month in Khemisset and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Khemisset and in Istanbul?
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.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Khemisset or in Istanbul?
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.
Is Khemisset or Istanbul more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Khemisset or Istanbul?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Khemisset vs other spots: cost of living compared

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