Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Ulsteinvik

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,608 in Ulsteinvik, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 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
128

Cost of Living Index in Ulsteinvik
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Ulsteinvik Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Ulsteinvik

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Ulsteinvik

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $2,608 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Ulsteinvik $2,608

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $3,954 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Ulsteinvik $3,954

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $5,301 in Ulsteinvik, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Ulsteinvik $5,301

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

Both Istanbul and Ulsteinvik sit above the global median – Istanbul by 15%, Ulsteinvik by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$20.24 NOK 191

-39.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$106 NOK 996

-48.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$13.39 NOK 126

-31.14%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$4.68 NOK 44.06

-5.98%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$4.17 NOK 39.26

-59.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$2.84 NOK 26.77

-79.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$13.40 NOK 126

-64.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$9.98 NOK 93.9

-40.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$2.50 NOK 23.54

-51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$3.59 NOK 33.75

-75.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$3.81 NOK 35.86

-42.52%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$4.92 NOK 46.35

-52.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$13.40 NOK 126

-22.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$15.42 NOK 145

-63.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$31.06 NOK 292

-32.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$3.29 NOK 30.93

-42.25%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.70 NOK 25.44

-14.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$3.44 NOK 32.39

-62.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$4.77 NOK 44.87

-62.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$2.52 NOK 23.72

-74.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$2.93 NOK 27.55

-78.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$2.90 NOK 27.27

-56.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$2.55 NOK 23.97

-78.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$17.56 NOK 165

-86.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$16.52 NOK 156

-18.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$3.81 NOK 35.82

-37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$3.90 NOK 36.72

-10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$4.86 NOK 45.79

-81.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$85.7 NOK 806

-21.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$13.46 NOK 127

-90.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.73 NOK 16.25

-46.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$69.0 NOK 649

-84.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$2.13 NOK 20.01

-30.99%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$41.7K NOK 393.0K

21.66%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$42.9K NOK 404.3K

3.68%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$266 NOK 2,505

-66.70%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$29.25 NOK 275

-60.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$53.4 NOK 503

-70.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$48.70 NOK 458

58.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$34.49 NOK 325

-34.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$17.01 NOK 160

-52.15%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$214 NOK 2,017

370.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$14.6K NOK 137.2K

75.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$98.4 NOK 927

-45.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$49.95 NOK 470

-18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$121 NOK 1,136

-18.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$135 NOK 1,271

-28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$1,096 NOK 10.3K

-10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$1,002 NOK 9,434

-35.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$1,785 NOK 16.8K

11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$1,659 NOK 15.6K

-28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$7,015 NOK 66.0K

-55.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$4,138 NOK 39.0K

-56.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

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 Ulsteinvik: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Ulsteinvik

$1K 38.4% 54.2% $352

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Ulsteinvik

$492 18.9% 89.5% $232

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Ulsteinvik

$373 14.3% 67.2% $150

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Ulsteinvik

$182 7% 39.2% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Ulsteinvik

$349 13.4% 201% $233

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Ulsteinvik

$83 3.2% 11.5% $11

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Ulsteinvik

$127 4.9% 65.5% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $1,096 in Ulsteinvik. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $106 in Ulsteinvik. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $492 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇳🇴 Ulsteinvik

🕒 Local time

21:09 9:09 PM

20:09 8:09 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

5,600

💱 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 Ulsteinvik 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Ulsteinvik

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 Ulsteinvik: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulsteinvik is pricier by about 68%, 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 $3,912 in Ulsteinvik. 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 $214 in Ulsteinvik. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% more in Ulsteinvik, 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 Ulsteinvik at $2,608. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsteinvik 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, Ulsteinvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.