Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Longyearbyen and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,733 in Longyearbyen, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Longyearbyen
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Longyearbyen Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Longyearbyen

🇳🇴 Norway

$2,733

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Longyearbyen 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 Longyearbyen and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,733 per month in Longyearbyen vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Longyearbyen $2,733
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $4,180 per month in Longyearbyen vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Longyearbyen $4,180
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $5,627 per month in Longyearbyen vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Longyearbyen $5,627
Istanbul $3,281

Longyearbyen costs about 76% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Longyearbyen and Istanbul sit above the global median – Longyearbyen by 102%, Istanbul by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 NOK 189

$12.30 ₺609

63.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 NOK 996

$54.7 ₺2,708

93.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.00 NOK 169

$9.22 ₺456

95.23%

Cappuccino

$6.85 NOK 64.5

$4.40 ₺218

55.68%

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

$6.11 NOK 57.5

$1.68 ₺83.1

263.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 NOK 52.5

$0.59 ₺29.40

845.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 NOK 70.0

$4.70 ₺233

58.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.96 NOK 84.3

$5.91 ₺292

51.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.57

$1.21 ₺60.0

98.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 NOK 34.95

$0.89 ₺44.10

316.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 NOK 40.78

$2.19 ₺108

97.72%

Eggs

$4.97 NOK 46.82

$2.35 ₺116

111.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 NOK 134

$10.42 ₺516

36.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.30 NOK 191

$5.65 ₺280

259.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$31.52 NOK 297

$20.94 ₺1,037

50.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.42 NOK 60.5

$1.90 ₺94.1

237.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.03

$2.31 ₺114

10.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.85 NOK 64.5

$1.28 ₺63.1

435.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 NOK 62.7

$1.80 ₺89.0

270.00%

Potato (1kg)

$5.49 NOK 51.7

$0.65 ₺32.16

744.62%

Onion (1kg)

$4.53 NOK 42.66

$0.64 ₺31.91

607.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.51 NOK 42.50

$1.25 ₺62.1

260.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NOK 33.23

$0.56 ₺27.58

530.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.34 NOK 163

$2.37 ₺118

631.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.45 NOK 136

$13.42 ₺664

7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NOK 33.31

$2.40 ₺119

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 NOK 39.93

$3.48 ₺172

21.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.27 NOK 49.65

$0.89 ₺43.84

492.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.2 NOK 811

$67.4 ₺3,338

27.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 NOK 85.3

$1.29 ₺64.1

602.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NOK 16.93

$0.92 ₺45.70

95.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$73.7 NOK 694

$10.96 ₺542

572.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 NOK 20.05

$1.47 ₺72.9

44.90%

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

$50.3K NOK 473.1K

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-1.04%

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

$41.3K NOK 388.9K

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-7.22%

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

$242 NOK 2,274

$88.6 ₺4,387

172.60%

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

$32.99 NOK 311

$11.59 ₺574

184.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 NOK 509

$15.81 ₺783

242.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 NOK 475

$77.2 ₺3,820

-34.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.19 NOK 341

$22.74 ₺1,126

59.15%

Cinema Ticket

$14.85 NOK 140

$8.14 ₺403

82.43%

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

$200 NOK 1,887

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-80.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K NOK 133.8K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-44.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 NOK 981

$54.0 ₺2,671

93.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 NOK 530

$40.83 ₺2,021

37.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 NOK 1,179

$98.9 ₺4,895

26.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 NOK 1,447

$96.6 ₺4,783

59.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 NOK 10.4K

$985 ₺48.7K

12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 NOK 9,569

$650 ₺32.2K

56.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 NOK 18.7K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,698 NOK 16.0K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

43.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,197 NOK 58.3K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

97.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,017 NOK 37.8K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

125.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,931 NOK 27.6K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

143.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

40.92

-87.93%

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

Last update for Longyearbyen: October 13, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Longyearbyen

$1K 37.2%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 36.1% $367

Groceries & Markets

Longyearbyen

$586 21.5%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 55.7% $327

Eating Out

Longyearbyen

$398 14.6%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 44% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Longyearbyen

$329 12%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 64.7% $213

Clothing & Footwear

Longyearbyen

$198 7.2%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 34% $67

Getting Around

Longyearbyen

$125 4.6%

Istanbul

$77 5% 38.7% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Longyearbyen

$80 2.9%

Istanbul

$93 6% 16.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,104 in Longyearbyen versus $985 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 143% higher in Longyearbyen, 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 $106 in Longyearbyen versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $586 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇴 Longyearbyen

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

19:27 7:27 PM

20:27 8:27 PM

1 h ahead of Longyearbyen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,400

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 NOK = 10.62 USD

100 NOK = 9.45 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇴 Norwegian Krone (kr)

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).

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).

USD to NOK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Longyearbyen Istanbul 4,180 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Longyearbyen
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

Longyearbyen vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Longyearbyen is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,100 per month in Longyearbyen and $2,325 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 $200 per month in Longyearbyen and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 126% more in Longyearbyen, 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 Longyearbyen at $2,733. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Longyearbyen 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, Longyearbyen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.