Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Lillestrom

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $2,615 in Lillestrom, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Lillestrom
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Lillestrom Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Lillestrom

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,615

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Lillestrom

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $2,615 in Lillestrom, rent included.

Istanbul $1,525
Lillestrom $2,615

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $4,023 in Lillestrom, rent included.

Istanbul $2,390
Lillestrom $4,023

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $5,432 in Lillestrom, rent included.

Istanbul $3,256
Lillestrom $5,432

Istanbul is about 42% cheaper than Lillestrom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Lillestrom sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Lillestrom by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$20.91 NOK 197

-42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$121 NOK 1,135

-52.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$11.05 NOK 104

-13.94%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$6.17 NOK 58.1

-28.69%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$4.05 NOK 38.09

-56.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$3.12 NOK 29.36

-82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$11.80 NOK 111

-60.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$10.45 NOK 98.4

-41.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$2.45 NOK 23.10

-49.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$3.62 NOK 34.06

-73.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$4.08 NOK 38.37

-44.12%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$5.73 NOK 53.9

-57.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$13.08 NOK 123

-19.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$13.77 NOK 130

-60.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$27.30 NOK 257

-20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$3.46 NOK 32.55

-47.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.81 NOK 26.45

-18.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$4.08 NOK 38.40

-68.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$5.45 NOK 51.3

-66.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$2.75 NOK 25.85

-76.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$3.69 NOK 34.71

-82.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$1.79 NOK 16.80

-29.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$2.28 NOK 21.44

-75.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$17.49 NOK 165

-86.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$16.88 NOK 159

-23.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$5.57 NOK 52.5

-55.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$5.86 NOK 55.1

-40.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$4.46 NOK 42.01

-81.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

$83.8 NOK 789

-22.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$11.92 NOK 112

-88.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$1.85 NOK 17.44

-51.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$69.1 NOK 650

-84.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$2.29 NOK 21.53

-37.55%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$48.5K NOK 456.4K

2.24%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$44.4K NOK 418.1K

-2.76%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$269 NOK 2,532

-67.00%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$32.87 NOK 309

-64.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$52.5 NOK 494

-69.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$49.58 NOK 467

53.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$36.47 NOK 343

-37.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$17.09 NOK 161

-51.67%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$238 NOK 2,244

325.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$13.1K NOK 122.8K

97.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$101 NOK 955

-47.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$55.8 NOK 525

-27.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$126 NOK 1,186

-20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$158 NOK 1,484

-40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$1,245 NOK 11.7K

-21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$982 NOK 9,242

-36.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$1,945 NOK 18.3K

1.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$1,658 NOK 15.6K

-30.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$6,206 NOK 58.4K

-50.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$4,015 NOK 37.8K

-55.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$3,767 NOK 35.5K

-67.80%

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 Lillestrom: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Lillestrom

$982 37.5% 56.6% $355

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Lillestrom

$491 18.8% 87% $229

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Lillestrom

$383 14.7% 72.5% $161

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Lillestrom

$198 7.6% 53.3% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Lillestrom

$354 13.6% 204% $238

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Lillestrom

$84 3.2% 9.7% $9

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Lillestrom

$123 4.7% 65.3% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $1,245 in Lillestrom. 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 211% higher in Lillestrom, 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 $57.0 in Istanbul versus $121 in Lillestrom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $491 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Lillestrom

🕒 Local time

22:35 10:35 PM

21:35 9:35 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

94,585

💱 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

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Lillestrom 2,430 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Lillestrom

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 Lillestrom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lillestrom is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $3,923 in Lillestrom. 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 $1,015 per month in Istanbul and $238 in Lillestrom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 87% more in Lillestrom, 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 $1,525, than in Lillestrom at $2,615. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lillestrom 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, Lillestrom makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.