Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,526 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $23,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,460 per month in Selfoss vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Selfoss $3,460
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $2,461 per month in Selfoss vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Selfoss $2,461
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $1,462 per month in Selfoss vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Selfoss $1,462
Istanbul $3,272

Selfoss costs about 127% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Selfoss and Istanbul sit above the global median – Selfoss by 158%, Istanbul by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,714

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.81 ISK 2,538

$9.14 ₺450

127.68%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 ISK 1,488

$4.69 ₺231

160.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ISK 219

$1.26 ₺62.1

42.06%

White Bread (500g)

$7.61 ISK 928

$0.95 ₺46.81

701.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 ISK 544

$2.31 ₺114

93.07%

Eggs

$6.56 ISK 800

$2.47 ₺122

165.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 ISK 2,103

$10.55 ₺520

63.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.77 ISK 2,655

$5.60 ₺276

288.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.50 ISK 4,085

$21.21 ₺1,045

57.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 332

$1.93 ₺95.1

40.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ISK 335

$2.29 ₺113

20.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 ISK 324

$1.28 ₺63.1

107.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.51 ISK 916

$1.84 ₺90.8

308.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 391

$0.67 ₺32.86

379.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 266

$0.59 ₺29.31

269.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 ISK 439

$1.33 ₺65.4

170.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ISK 175

$0.59 ₺29.10

144.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.97 ISK 1,947

$2.36 ₺116

576.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ISK 143

$3.54 ₺174

-66.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,273

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

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

$89.2 ₺4,395

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

$11.60 ₺572

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,805

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

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

$974 ₺48.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,929

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,759

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

$629 ₺31.0K

348.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

02:49 2:49 AM

05:49 5:49 AM

3 h ahead of Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.26 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.25 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Selfoss Istanbul 4,070 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
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

Selfoss vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 127%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,190 per month in Selfoss and $2,289 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,460 in Selfoss and $1,526 in Istanbul. That's a gap of about 127%.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Selfoss, 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 $1,526, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss 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, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.