Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Askim

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $2,808 in Askim, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
137

Cost of Living Index in Askim
Learn more

Askim Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Askim

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,808

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Askim

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,525 in Istanbul versus $2,808 in Askim.

Istanbul $1,525
Askim $2,808

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,390 in Istanbul versus $4,262 in Askim.

Istanbul $2,390
Askim $4,262

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,256 in Istanbul versus $5,717 in Askim.

Istanbul $3,256
Askim $5,717

Living in Istanbul costs roughly 46% less than in Askim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Istanbul 13% above, Askim 107% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$20.69 NOK 195

-42.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$125 NOK 1,177

-54.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$15.56 NOK 146

-38.88%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$5.87 NOK 55.3

-25.04%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$4.19 NOK 39.43

-58.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$3.45 NOK 32.47

-83.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$11.55 NOK 109

-59.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$12.45 NOK 117

-50.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$2.44 NOK 22.94

-49.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$4.23 NOK 39.81

-77.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$4.53 NOK 42.62

-49.67%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$6.01 NOK 56.6

-59.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$14.63 NOK 138

-27.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$15.70 NOK 148

-64.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$31.27 NOK 294

-30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$3.39 NOK 31.93

-46.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.59 NOK 24.42

-11.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$3.39 NOK 31.96

-62.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$5.94 NOK 55.9

-69.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$2.76 NOK 25.95

-76.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$2.90 NOK 27.34

-78.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$3.09 NOK 29.11

-58.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$2.39 NOK 22.47

-76.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$19.01 NOK 179

-87.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$16.31 NOK 154

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$3.54 NOK 33.31

-29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$4.33 NOK 40.76

-19.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$4.54 NOK 42.73

-81.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

$84.4 NOK 794

-22.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$11.72 NOK 110

-88.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$1.84 NOK 17.34

-51.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$68.5 NOK 644

-84.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$2.36 NOK 22.18

-39.41%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$49.0K NOK 460.8K

1.26%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$37.9K NOK 356.3K

14.10%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$417 NOK 3,928

-78.73%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$33.62 NOK 316

-65.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$53.4 NOK 503

-69.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$50.2 NOK 472

52.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$36.88 NOK 347

-38.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$15.42 NOK 145

-46.43%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$238 NOK 2,245

325.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$15.3K NOK 143.9K

69.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$100 NOK 942

-46.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$59.8 NOK 563

-32.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$133 NOK 1,248

-24.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$158 NOK 1,487

-40.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$1,194 NOK 11.2K

-18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$986 NOK 9,280

-36.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$1,969 NOK 18.5K

0.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$1,679 NOK 15.8K

-31.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$6,007 NOK 56.6K

-48.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$4,059 NOK 38.2K

-55.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$4,161 NOK 39.2K

-70.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

4.94

723.68%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Askim: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Askim

$986 35.1% 57.2% $359

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Askim

$515 18.3% 96.1% $252

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Askim

$396 14.1% 78.2% $174

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Askim

$203 7.2% 56.7% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Askim

$504 18% 333% $388

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Askim

$81 2.9% 12.7% $12

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Askim

$123 4.4% 66.1% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Istanbul and $1,194 in Askim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Askim pays 243% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57.0 in Istanbul vs $125 in Askim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $515 per month, with Istanbul cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Askim

🕒 Local time

17:14 5:14 PM

16:14 4:14 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

15,368

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NOK, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Askim 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Askim

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 Askim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Istanbul and Askim differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($1,525 vs $2,808 including rent). Istanbul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 243% lower in Askim. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Istanbul versus $1,194 in Askim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Istanbul – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $125 in Askim. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,525 per month in Istanbul versus $2,808 in Askim – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,525 in Istanbul versus $2,808 in Askim, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Istanbul but tight or insufficient in Askim. The gap between the two cities makes Istanbul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Askim are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Istanbul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Askim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.