Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Elverum

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,723 in Elverum, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Elverum
Learn more

Elverum Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Elverum

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,723

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Elverum

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $2,723 in Elverum, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Elverum $2,723

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $4,090 in Elverum, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Elverum $4,090

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $5,458 in Elverum, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Elverum $5,458

Istanbul is about 43% cheaper than Elverum, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Elverum sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Elverum by 102%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$20.48 NOK 193

-39.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$107 NOK 1,006

-48.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$15.68 NOK 148

-41.20%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$5.41 NOK 50.9

-18.67%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$5.67 NOK 53.4

-70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$4.17 NOK 39.25

-85.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$12.89 NOK 121

-63.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$12.64 NOK 119

-53.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$2.42 NOK 22.82

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.32 NOK 31.26

-73.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.59 NOK 33.82

-39.00%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$4.93 NOK 46.44

-52.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$12.77 NOK 120

-18.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$15.99 NOK 151

-64.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$31.88 NOK 300

-34.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.82 NOK 35.99

-50.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.92 NOK 27.49

-20.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.79 NOK 35.64

-66.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$5.67 NOK 53.4

-68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.87 NOK 27.03

-77.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$2.97 NOK 27.98

-78.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.92 NOK 27.53

-57.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$2.26 NOK 21.28

-75.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$17.65 NOK 166

-86.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$18.04 NOK 170

-25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$3.62 NOK 34.09

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$4.55 NOK 42.84

-23.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$4.77 NOK 44.86

-81.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$83.8 NOK 789

-19.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$9.22 NOK 86.8

-86.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.54 NOK 14.54

-40.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$59.5 NOK 560

-81.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.50 NOK 23.52

-41.20%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$45.4K NOK 427.5K

11.83%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$45.3K NOK 426.8K

-1.79%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$276 NOK 2,597

-67.88%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$35.45 NOK 334

-67.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$82.8 NOK 779

-80.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$49.56 NOK 467

55.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$35.60 NOK 335

-36.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$20.53 NOK 193

-60.35%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$295 NOK 2,773

242.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$4,368 NOK 41.1K

485.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$104 NOK 982

-48.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$49.80 NOK 469

-18.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$117 NOK 1,101

-15.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$155 NOK 1,462

-37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,177 NOK 11.1K

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,019 NOK 9,595

-36.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,940 NOK 18.3K

2.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,650 NOK 15.5K

-28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$6,117 NOK 57.6K

-48.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$4,052 NOK 38.1K

-56.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$4,212 NOK 39.7K

-71.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

5.32

669.17%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Elverum: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Elverum

$1K 37.4% 56.9% $369

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Elverum

$502 18.5% 93.4% $243

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Elverum

$405 14.9% 81.3% $182

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Elverum

$192 7.1% 46.9% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Elverum

$394 14.5% 240% $278

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Elverum

$91 3.3% 3% $2.8

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Elverum

$120 4.4% 55.9% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,177 in Elverum. 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 249% higher in Elverum, 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 $107 in Elverum. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $502 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Elverum

🕒 Local time

14:27 2:27 PM

13:27 1:27 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

21,775

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

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 17, 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

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Between locations

Istanbul Elverum 2,510 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Elverum

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 Elverum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Elverum is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $4,084 in Elverum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Istanbul, 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 $295 in Elverum. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Elverum, 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 Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Elverum at $2,723. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elverum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Istanbul – 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 Istanbul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Elverum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.