Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Sarpsborg

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $2,841 in Sarpsborg, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 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
135

Cost of Living Index in Sarpsborg
Learn more

Sarpsborg Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Sarpsborg

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,841

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Sarpsborg

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $2,841 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Istanbul $1,525
Sarpsborg $2,841

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $4,154 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Istanbul $2,390
Sarpsborg $4,154

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $5,467 in Sarpsborg, rent included.

Istanbul $3,256
Sarpsborg $5,467

Istanbul is about 46% cheaper than Sarpsborg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Istanbul and Sarpsborg sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Sarpsborg by 110%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 ₺592

$40.33 NOK 380

-70.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 ₺2,834

$99.6 NOK 938

-42.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 ₺471

$19.43 NOK 183

-51.06%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$5.72 NOK 53.8

-23.08%

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

$1.75 ₺86.6

$2.78 NOK 26.16

-37.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.57

$2.60 NOK 24.48

-78.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.71 ₺233

$6.25 NOK 58.8

-24.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 ₺304

$8.41 NOK 79.1

-26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ₺61.6

$2.80 NOK 26.36

-55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺47.25

$3.33 NOK 31.37

-71.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 ₺113

$4.13 NOK 38.86

-44.79%

Eggs

$2.45 ₺121

$4.28 NOK 40.27

-42.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.56 ₺523

$12.60 NOK 119

-16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 ₺272

$15.89 NOK 150

-65.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.65 ₺1,072

$36.18 NOK 341

-40.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ₺90.6

$3.76 NOK 35.39

-51.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.83 NOK 26.60

-19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.4

$3.88 NOK 36.55

-67.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ₺90.1

$5.00 NOK 47.07

-63.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ₺32.74

$2.98 NOK 28.05

-77.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₺31.14

$3.32 NOK 31.28

-81.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ₺62.8

$2.60 NOK 24.45

-51.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.62

$2.61 NOK 24.58

-78.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺117

$17.94 NOK 169

-86.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.98 ₺642

$17.77 NOK 167

-26.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₺123

$3.30 NOK 31.02

-24.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₺174

$4.59 NOK 43.22

-23.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 ₺40.77

$2.70 NOK 25.40

-69.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₺3,228

$75.1 NOK 707

-13.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 ₺65.7

$12.17 NOK 115

-89.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 ₺44.60

$1.92 NOK 18.10

-53.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.91 ₺540

$62.9 NOK 592

-82.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₺70.7

$2.23 NOK 21.00

-35.87%

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

$49.6K ₺2.5M

$54.3K NOK 511.0K

-8.69%

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

$43.2K ₺2.1M

$43.0K NOK 405.0K

0.38%

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

$88.8 ₺4,395

$299 NOK 2,815

-70.31%

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

$11.69 ₺579

$31.27 NOK 294

-62.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.09 ₺797

$54.1 NOK 509

-70.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 ₺3,776

$50.1 NOK 472

52.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 ₺1,125

$40.34 NOK 380

-43.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ₺409

$19.99 NOK 188

-58.68%

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

$1,015 ₺50.2K

$243 NOK 2,286

317.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$13.1K NOK 123.0K

97.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ₺2,636

$114 NOK 1,073

-53.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.55 ₺2,008

$62.2 NOK 586

-34.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₺4,956

$115 NOK 1,086

-13.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 ₺4,630

$178 NOK 1,679

-47.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₺48.4K

$1,232 NOK 11.6K

-20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₺31.0K

$1,013 NOK 9,537

-38.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 ₺98.0K

$1,563 NOK 14.7K

26.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 ₺56.8K

$1,370 NOK 12.9K

-16.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,095 ₺153.2K

$5,847 NOK 55.0K

-47.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ₺88.5K

$4,175 NOK 39.3K

-57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,213 ₺60.1K

$2,626 NOK 24.7K

-53.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

5.18

685.52%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sarpsborg: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$627 41.1%

Sarpsborg

$1K 35.7% 61.6% $386

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$263 17.2%

Sarpsborg

$516 18.1% 96.4% $253

Eating Out

Istanbul

$222 14.6%

Sarpsborg

$519 18.3% 134% $297

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$129 8.5%

Sarpsborg

$211 7.4% 63.5% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.6%

Sarpsborg

$384 13.5% 230% $268

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6.1%

Sarpsborg

$90 3.2% 2.9% $2.7

Getting Around

Istanbul

$74 4.9%

Sarpsborg

$108 3.8% 44.8% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $1,232 in Sarpsborg. 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 116% higher in Sarpsborg, 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 $100 in Sarpsborg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $516 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Sarpsborg

🕒 Local time

22:26 10:26 PM

21:26 9:26 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

59,906

💱 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 Sarpsborg 2,370 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Sarpsborg

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 Sarpsborg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sarpsborg is pricier by about 86%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $4,262 in Sarpsborg. 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 $243 in Sarpsborg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 96% more in Sarpsborg, 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 Sarpsborg at $2,841. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sarpsborg 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, Sarpsborg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.