Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kiruna and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,525 a month against $1,747 in Kiruna, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. The total is higher in Kiruna despite lower rent and utilities.

85

Cost of Living Index in Kiruna
Learn more

Kiruna Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Kiruna

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,747

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,525

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kiruna and in Istanbul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kiruna and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,747 per month in Kiruna vs $1,525 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kiruna $1,747
Istanbul $1,525

A couple spends around $2,915 per month in Kiruna vs $2,390 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kiruna $2,915
Istanbul $2,390

A family of three spends $4,082 per month in Kiruna vs $3,256 in Istanbul, rent included.

Kiruna $4,082
Istanbul $3,256

Kiruna costs about 15% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Kiruna and Istanbul sit above the global median – Kiruna by 29%, Istanbul by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 SEK 137

$11.96 ₺592

15.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$128 SEK 1,270

$57.2 ₺2,834

123.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 SEK 103

$9.51 ₺471

9.36%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SEK 42.90

$4.40 ₺218

-1.59%

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

$2.69 SEK 26.70

$1.75 ₺86.6

53.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 SEK 22.37

$0.56 ₺27.57

303.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.54 SEK 94.5

$4.71 ₺233

102.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 SEK 65.3

$6.14 ₺304

7.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SEK 14.34

$1.24 ₺61.6

16.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 SEK 27.79

$0.95 ₺47.25

194.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 SEK 36.83

$2.28 ₺113

63.16%

Eggs

$3.55 SEK 35.18

$2.45 ₺121

44.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.29 SEK 122

$10.56 ₺523

16.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 SEK 137

$5.50 ₺272

150.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.62 SEK 194

$21.65 ₺1,072

-9.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 SEK 27.66

$1.83 ₺90.6

52.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 25.12

$2.29 ₺113

10.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 SEK 25.90

$1.28 ₺63.4

103.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.40 SEK 43.63

$1.82 ₺90.1

141.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.58

$0.66 ₺32.74

122.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 SEK 15.77

$0.63 ₺31.14

152.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SEK 19.93

$1.27 ₺62.8

58.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SEK 15.46

$0.56 ₺27.62

178.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 SEK 64.0

$2.36 ₺117

173.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 SEK 96.1

$12.98 ₺642

-25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SEK 19.65

$2.48 ₺123

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SEK 19.75

$3.50 ₺174

-43.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.22 SEK 31.95

$0.82 ₺40.77

292.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.4 SEK 787

$65.2 ₺3,228

21.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 SEK 57.9

$1.33 ₺65.7

339.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 SEK 16.68

$0.90 ₺44.60

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 SEK 563

$10.91 ₺540

421.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 SEK 20.90

$1.43 ₺70.7

47.55%

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

$31.3K SEK 310.1K

$49.6K ₺2.5M

-36.86%

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

$33.3K SEK 329.6K

$43.2K ₺2.1M

-22.99%

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

$95.9 SEK 951

$88.8 ₺4,395

8.08%

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

$24.86 SEK 246

$11.69 ₺579

112.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.94 SEK 356

$16.09 ₺797

123.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.74 SEK 374

$76.3 ₺3,776

-50.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.04 SEK 248

$22.72 ₺1,125

10.21%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 SEK 158

$8.26 ₺409

92.74%

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

$152 SEK 1,506

$1,015 ₺50.2K

-85.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,610 SEK 55.6K

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-78.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 SEK 993

$53.3 ₺2,636

88.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.87 SEK 445

$40.55 ₺2,008

10.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.8 SEK 810

$100 ₺4,956

-18.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 SEK 1,378

$93.5 ₺4,630

48.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 SEK 8,047

$977 ₺48.4K

-16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 SEK 6,043

$627 ₺31.0K

-2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 SEK 13.5K

$1,980 ₺98.0K

-31.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 SEK 11.1K

$1,147 ₺56.8K

-2.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,456 SEK 34.2K

$3,095 ₺153.2K

11.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,527 SEK 25.0K

$1,787 ₺88.5K

41.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,257 SEK 32.3K

$1,213 ₺60.1K

168.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.69

-90.17%

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

Last update for Kiruna: October 17, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kiruna

$610 34.9%

Istanbul

$627 41.1% 2.8% $17

Groceries & Markets

Kiruna

$366 20.9%

Istanbul

$263 17.2% 28.2% $103

Eating Out

Kiruna

$274 15.7%

Istanbul

$222 14.6% 19.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Kiruna

$165 9.4%

Istanbul

$129 8.5% 21.5% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kiruna

$157 9%

Istanbul

$117 7.6% 25.6% $40

Getting Around

Kiruna

$107 6.1%

Istanbul

$74 4.9% 30.2% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Kiruna

$70 4%

Istanbul

$93 6.1% 33.3% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Kiruna versus $977 in Istanbul. 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 169% higher in Kiruna, 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 $128 in Kiruna versus $57.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $263 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Kiruna

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

20:47 8:47 PM

21:47 9:47 PM

1 h ahead of Kiruna

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

22,454

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

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).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kiruna Istanbul 3,070 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Kiruna
Istanbul

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

Kiruna vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kiruna is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,621 per month in Kiruna and $2,287 in Istanbul. 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 $152 per month in Kiruna and $1,015 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Kiruna, 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 Kiruna at $1,747. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kiruna 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, Kiruna makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.