Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between La Marsa and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in La Marsa: $772 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in La Marsa
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La Marsa Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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La Marsa

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$772

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in La Marsa 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 La Marsa and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $772 per month in La Marsa vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

La Marsa $772
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,291 per month in La Marsa vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

La Marsa $1,291
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,809 per month in La Marsa vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

La Marsa $1,809
Istanbul $3,281

La Marsa is about 50% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

La Marsa sits 43% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 TND 10.21

$12.30 ₺609

-72.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.34 TND 60.9

$54.7 ₺2,708

-62.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 TND 15.69

$9.22 ₺456

-43.17%

Cappuccino

$1.30 TND 3.88

$4.40 ₺218

-70.45%

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

$0.60 TND 1.79

$1.68 ₺83.1

-64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.77

$0.59 ₺29.40

-55.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.44

$4.70 ₺233

-68.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 TND 5.92

$5.91 ₺292

-66.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 TND 1.60

$1.21 ₺60.0

-56.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 TND 0.94

$0.89 ₺44.10

-65.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 TND 6.96

$2.19 ₺108

5.94%

Eggs

$1.85 TND 5.53

$2.35 ₺116

-21.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 TND 28.49

$10.42 ₺516

-8.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 TND 19.93

$5.65 ₺280

17.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 TND 38.98

$20.94 ₺1,037

-37.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 TND 6.08

$1.90 ₺94.1

6.84%

Banana (1kg)

$3.58 TND 10.71

$2.31 ₺114

54.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 TND 4.42

$1.28 ₺63.1

14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 TND 2.00

$1.80 ₺89.0

-62.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 TND 1.79

$0.65 ₺32.16

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.96

$0.64 ₺31.91

1.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 TND 1.21

$1.25 ₺62.1

-68.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.91

$0.56 ₺27.58

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 TND 10.91

$2.37 ₺118

53.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 TND 19.47

$13.42 ₺664

-51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 TND 3.79

$2.40 ₺119

-47.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 TND 4.84

$3.48 ₺172

-53.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 TND 1.03

$0.89 ₺43.84

-61.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 TND 20.93

$67.4 ₺3,338

-89.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 TND 0.86

$1.29 ₺64.1

-77.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 TND 1.27

$0.92 ₺45.70

-54.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 TND 12.28

$10.96 ₺542

-62.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 TND 2.60

$1.47 ₺72.9

-40.82%

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

$36.9K TND 110.5K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-27.38%

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

$31.1K TND 93.1K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-30.20%

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

$33.98 TND 102

$88.6 ₺4,387

-61.65%

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

$12.23 TND 36.62

$11.59 ₺574

5.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.32 TND 54.9

$15.81 ₺783

15.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.68 TND 125

$77.2 ₺3,820

-45.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 TND 22.30

$22.74 ₺1,126

-67.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 TND 15.80

$8.14 ₺403

-35.26%

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

$59.5 TND 178

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-94.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,560 TND 7,666

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-89.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 TND 190

$54.0 ₺2,671

17.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.4 TND 208

$40.83 ₺2,021

69.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 TND 272

$98.9 ₺4,895

-8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.9 TND 269

$96.6 ₺4,783

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 TND 863

$985 ₺48.7K

-70.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 TND 697

$650 ₺32.2K

-64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 TND 2,116

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-64.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 TND 1,712

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-51.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 TND 5,485

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-41.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,018 TND 3,049

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-42.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$334 TND 1,000

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-72.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

-65.79%

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

Last update for La Marsa: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

La Marsa

$233 30.1%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 179% $417

Groceries & Markets

La Marsa

$198 25.6%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 31.3% $62

Clothing & Footwear

La Marsa

$141 18.3%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 7.5% $11

Eating Out

La Marsa

$73 9.5%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 205% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

La Marsa

$65 8.4%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 79.8% $51

Sport & Entertainment

La Marsa

$52 6.8%

Istanbul

$93 6% 78.9% $41

Getting Around

La Marsa

$11 1.4%

Istanbul

$77 5% 614% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in La Marsa 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 261% 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 $20.00 in La Marsa versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $260 – making La Marsa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇳 La Marsa

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

00:01 12:01 AM

02:01 2:01 AM

2 h ahead of La Marsa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,987

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Tunisian Dinar TND د.ت

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1 TND = 0.334 USD

1 TND = 0.297 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇳 Tunisian Dinar (د.ت)

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to TND in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

La Marsa Istanbul 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

La Marsa
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

La Marsa vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,159 per month in La Marsa and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in La Marsa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $59.5 per month in La Marsa and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 La Marsa, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In La Marsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward La Marsa – 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 La Marsa. 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.