Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Moss

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,476 in Moss, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 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
121

Cost of Living Index in Moss
Learn more

Moss Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Moss

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,476

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Moss

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $2,476 in Moss, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Moss $2,476

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $3,721 in Moss, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Moss $3,721

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $4,966 in Moss, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Moss $4,966

Istanbul is about 37% cheaper than Moss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Istanbul and Moss sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Moss by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$21.02 NOK 198

-41.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$78.2 NOK 736

-30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$13.46 NOK 127

-31.50%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$5.11 NOK 48.08

-13.89%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$3.13 NOK 29.45

-46.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.63 NOK 24.74

-77.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$6.67 NOK 62.8

-29.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$8.29 NOK 78.1

-28.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$2.40 NOK 22.58

-49.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.56 NOK 33.54

-75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.54 NOK 33.35

-38.14%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.42 NOK 32.23

-31.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$13.38 NOK 126

-22.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$12.92 NOK 122

-56.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$27.90 NOK 263

-24.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.38 NOK 31.79

-43.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.57 NOK 24.21

-10.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.95 NOK 27.81

-56.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$5.83 NOK 54.9

-69.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.30 NOK 21.69

-71.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$2.49 NOK 23.47

-74.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.53 NOK 23.77

-50.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$2.35 NOK 22.10

-76.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$15.35 NOK 144

-84.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$15.77 NOK 148

-14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$2.64 NOK 24.83

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$3.85 NOK 36.27

-9.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$4.76 NOK 44.85

-81.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$86.5 NOK 814

-22.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$10.43 NOK 98.2

-87.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.88 NOK 17.66

-51.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$45.81 NOK 431

-76.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.30 NOK 21.66

-36.09%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$42.6K NOK 401.0K

19.22%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$41.2K NOK 387.7K

8.11%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$299 NOK 2,816

-70.38%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$33.40 NOK 314

-65.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$54.0 NOK 508

-70.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$39.52 NOK 372

95.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$33.32 NOK 314

-31.75%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$18.14 NOK 171

-55.13%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$235 NOK 2,217

328.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$3,756 NOK 35.4K

580.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$97.8 NOK 920

-44.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$60.0 NOK 565

-31.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$104 NOK 979

-4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$142 NOK 1,332

-31.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,218 NOK 11.5K

-19.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$912 NOK 8,586

-28.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$2,091 NOK 19.7K

-5.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,576 NOK 14.8K

-25.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$5,125 NOK 48.2K

-38.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$4,121 NOK 38.8K

-56.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$4,341 NOK 40.9K

-72.23%

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 Moss: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Moss

$912 36.9% 40.4% $262

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Moss

$452 18.3% 74% $192

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Moss

$343 13.8% 53.5% $119

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Moss

$181 7.3% 38.9% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Moss

$387 15.6% 233% $271

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Moss

$76 3.1% 18.9% $18

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Moss

$125 5.1% 63.1% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,218 in Moss. 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 260% higher in Moss, 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 $78.0 in Moss. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $452 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Moss

🕒 Local time

19:27 7:27 PM

18:27 6:27 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

52,213

💱 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 Moss 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Moss

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 Moss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Moss is pricier by about 60%, 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 $3,714 in Moss. 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 $235 in Moss. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Moss, 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 Moss at $2,476. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moss 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, Moss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.