Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Kongsberg

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,648 in Kongsberg, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Kongsberg
Learn more

Kongsberg Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Kongsberg

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,648

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Kongsberg

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $2,648 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Kongsberg $2,648

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $3,866 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Kongsberg $3,866

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $5,085 in Kongsberg, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Kongsberg $5,085

Istanbul is about 41% cheaper than Kongsberg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Kongsberg sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Kongsberg by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$21.26 NOK 200

-42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$73.1 NOK 688

-25.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$15.39 NOK 145

-40.09%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$5.13 NOK 48.33

-14.23%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$4.17 NOK 39.27

-59.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$3.25 NOK 30.64

-81.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$11.91 NOK 112

-60.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$10.49 NOK 98.7

-43.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$2.49 NOK 23.43

-51.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.19 NOK 30.04

-72.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$4.53 NOK 42.67

-51.66%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$4.92 NOK 46.31

-52.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.64 NOK 100

-2.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$12.25 NOK 115

-53.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$18.90 NOK 178

10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.20 NOK 30.12

-40.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.66 NOK 24.99

-13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.43 NOK 32.29

-62.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$4.86 NOK 45.77

-62.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.66 NOK 25.02

-75.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$2.54 NOK 23.90

-74.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$3.04 NOK 28.58

-58.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$2.38 NOK 22.42

-76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$17.65 NOK 166

-86.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$15.91 NOK 150

-15.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$3.42 NOK 32.22

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$3.79 NOK 35.66

-8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$2.96 NOK 27.86

-69.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$91.8 NOK 864

-26.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$12.13 NOK 114

-89.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.87 NOK 17.64

-50.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$30.95 NOK 291

-64.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.35 NOK 22.14

-37.45%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$47.3K NOK 445.0K

7.44%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$45.0K NOK 423.5K

-1.01%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$312 NOK 2,937

-71.60%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$27.86 NOK 262

-58.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$52.5 NOK 494

-69.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$46.78 NOK 440

64.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$56.1 NOK 528

-59.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$19.74 NOK 186

-58.76%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$237 NOK 2,228

325.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$3,828 NOK 36.0K

567.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$90.3 NOK 850

-40.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$54.7 NOK 515

-25.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$133 NOK 1,254

-25.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$158 NOK 1,485

-38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,075 NOK 10.1K

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,035 NOK 9,746

-37.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,988 NOK 18.7K

-0.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,647 NOK 15.5K

-28.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$6,070 NOK 57.1K

-48.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$4,101 NOK 38.6K

-56.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$3,491 NOK 32.9K

-65.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

4.94

728.34%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kongsberg: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Kongsberg

$1K 39.1% 59.3% $386

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Kongsberg

$425 16% 63.6% $165

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Kongsberg

$388 14.7% 73.8% $165

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Kongsberg

$196 7.4% 50.2% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Kongsberg

$392 14.8% 238% $276

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Kongsberg

$86 3.3% 7.7% $7.2

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Kongsberg

$125 4.7% 62.8% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,075 in Kongsberg. 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 190% higher in Kongsberg, 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 $73.0 in Kongsberg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $425 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Kongsberg

🕒 Local time

20:26 8:26 PM

19:26 7:26 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

28,878

💱 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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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Kongsberg 2,460 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Kongsberg

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 Kongsberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kongsberg is pricier by about 71%, 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 $3,972 in Kongsberg. 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 $237 in Kongsberg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% more in Kongsberg, 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 Kongsberg at $2,648. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kongsberg 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, Kongsberg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.