Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moss and Istanbul

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.

Moss
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,476
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

  • Moss $2,476
  • Istanbul $1,550

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

  • Moss $3,721
  • Istanbul $2,415

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

  • Moss $4,966
  • Istanbul $3,281

Moss costs about 60% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.02 NOK 198
$12.30 ₺609
70.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.2 NOK 736
$54.7 ₺2,708
42.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.46 NOK 127
$9.22 ₺456
45.99%
Cappuccino
$5.11 NOK 48.08
$4.40 ₺218
16.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 NOK 29.45
$1.68 ₺83.1
86.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 NOK 24.74
$0.59 ₺29.40
345.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.67 NOK 62.8
$4.70 ₺233
41.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.29 NOK 78.1
$5.91 ₺292
40.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.40 NOK 22.58
$1.21 ₺60.0
98.35%
White Bread (500g)
$3.56 NOK 33.54
$0.89 ₺44.10
300.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.54 NOK 33.35
$2.19 ₺108
61.64%
Eggs
$3.42 NOK 32.23
$2.35 ₺116
45.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.38 NOK 126
$10.42 ₺516
28.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.92 NOK 122
$5.65 ₺280
128.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$27.90 NOK 263
$20.94 ₺1,037
33.24%
Apples (1kg)
$3.38 NOK 31.79
$1.90 ₺94.1
77.89%
Banana (1kg)
$2.57 NOK 24.21
$2.31 ₺114
11.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 NOK 27.81
$1.28 ₺63.1
130.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.83 NOK 54.9
$1.80 ₺89.0
223.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.30 NOK 21.69
$0.65 ₺32.16
253.85%
Onion (1kg)
$2.49 NOK 23.47
$0.64 ₺31.91
289.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.53 NOK 23.77
$1.25 ₺62.1
102.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 NOK 22.10
$0.56 ₺27.58
319.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.35 NOK 144
$2.37 ₺118
547.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.77 NOK 148
$13.42 ₺664
17.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.64 NOK 24.83
$2.40 ₺119
10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 NOK 36.27
$3.48 ₺172
10.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.76 NOK 44.85
$0.89 ₺43.84
434.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$86.5 NOK 814
$67.4 ₺3,338
28.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.43 NOK 98.2
$1.29 ₺64.1
708.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.88 NOK 17.66
$0.92 ₺45.70
104.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.81 NOK 431
$10.96 ₺542
317.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 NOK 21.66
$1.47 ₺72.9
56.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.6K NOK 401.0K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-16.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.2K NOK 387.7K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-7.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$299 NOK 2,816
$88.6 ₺4,387
237.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.40 NOK 314
$11.59 ₺574
188.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.0 NOK 508
$15.81 ₺783
241.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.52 NOK 372
$77.2 ₺3,820
-48.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$33.32 NOK 314
$22.74 ₺1,126
46.53%
Cinema Ticket
$18.14 NOK 171
$8.14 ₺403
122.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$235 NOK 2,217
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-76.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,756 NOK 35.4K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-85.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$97.8 NOK 920
$54.0 ₺2,671
81.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.0 NOK 565
$40.83 ₺2,021
46.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 NOK 979
$98.9 ₺4,895
5.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$142 NOK 1,332
$96.6 ₺4,783
46.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 NOK 11.5K
$985 ₺48.7K
23.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$912 NOK 8,586
$650 ₺32.2K
40.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,091 NOK 19.7K
$1,983 ₺98.2K
5.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 NOK 14.8K
$1,180 ₺58.4K
33.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,125 NOK 48.2K
$3,138 ₺155.4K
63.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,121 NOK 38.8K
$1,780 ₺88.1K
131.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moss
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,341 NOK 40.9K
$1,205 ₺59.7K
260.15%
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 Moss: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Moss
$912
Istanbul
$650 28.8% $262
Groceries & Markets
Moss
$452
Istanbul
$260 42.5% $192
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moss
$387
Istanbul
$116 70% $271
Eating Out
Moss
$343
Istanbul
$223 34.9% $119
Clothing & Footwear
Moss
$181
Istanbul
$131 28% $51
Getting Around
Moss
$125
Istanbul
$77 38.7% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Moss
$76
Istanbul
$93 23.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,218 in Moss 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 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 $78.0 in Moss versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $452 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Moss
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
16:42 4:42 PM
17:42 5:42 PM
1 h ahead of Moss
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
52,213
15,701,602
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Moss Istanbul 2,410 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Moss
  • 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
Moss vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Moss?
Yes – Moss is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,714 per month in Moss and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $235 per month in Moss and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Moss and in Istanbul?
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.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Moss or in Istanbul?
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.
Is Moss or Istanbul more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Moss or Istanbul?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Moss vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?