Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Stavanger and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,526 a month against $3,140 in Stavanger, rent and utilities included – about $19,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

153

Cost of Living Index in Stavanger
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Stavanger Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Stavanger

🇳🇴 Norway

$3,140

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,140 per month in Stavanger vs $1,526 in Istanbul, rent included.

Stavanger $3,140
Istanbul $1,526

A couple spends around $4,513 per month in Stavanger vs $2,399 in Istanbul, rent included.

Stavanger $4,513
Istanbul $2,399

A family of three spends $5,886 per month in Stavanger vs $3,272 in Istanbul, rent included.

Stavanger $5,886
Istanbul $3,272

Stavanger costs about 106% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Stavanger and Istanbul sit above the global median – Stavanger by 134%, Istanbul by 14%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.58 NOK 235

$11.88 ₺585

106.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 NOK 929

$55.1 ₺2,714

76.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.95 NOK 152

$9.14 ₺450

74.51%

Cappuccino

$6.25 NOK 59.7

$4.24 ₺209

47.41%

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

$5.41 NOK 51.7

$1.75 ₺86.0

209.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 NOK 40.57

$0.54 ₺26.83

687.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.66 NOK 130

$4.69 ₺231

191.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.78 NOK 112

$5.97 ₺294

97.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 22.61

$1.26 ₺62.1

88.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 NOK 33.14

$0.95 ₺46.81

265.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.83 NOK 36.59

$2.31 ₺114

65.80%

Eggs

$4.70 NOK 44.87

$2.47 ₺122

90.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.36 NOK 137

$10.55 ₺520

36.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.81 NOK 161

$5.60 ₺276

200.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.43 NOK 329

$21.21 ₺1,045

62.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 NOK 32.68

$1.93 ₺95.1

77.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 NOK 26.00

$2.29 ₺113

18.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 NOK 33.78

$1.28 ₺63.1

176.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 NOK 46.90

$1.84 ₺90.8

166.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 NOK 24.35

$0.67 ₺32.86

280.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 NOK 29.79

$0.59 ₺29.31

428.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 NOK 26.81

$1.33 ₺65.4

111.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 NOK 22.33

$0.59 ₺29.10

296.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.13 NOK 164

$2.36 ₺116

625.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 NOK 176

$13.47 ₺664

36.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.72 NOK 35.54

$2.42 ₺119

53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 NOK 42.52

$3.54 ₺174

25.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 NOK 45.49

$0.83 ₺40.64

473.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.0 NOK 831

$66.5 ₺3,273

30.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 NOK 58.2

$1.35 ₺66.6

351.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NOK 16.69

$0.85 ₺42.05

105.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$103 NOK 981

$10.86 ₺535

845.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.36 NOK 22.50

$1.47 ₺72.3

60.54%

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

$47.3K NOK 451.6K

$51.6K ₺2.5M

-8.39%

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

$40.4K NOK 386.0K

$44.4K ₺2.2M

-9.07%

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

$245 NOK 2,337

$89.2 ₺4,395

174.25%

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

$35.29 NOK 337

$11.60 ₺572

204.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.6 NOK 779

$16.10 ₺793

406.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 NOK 480

$77.3 ₺3,805

-34.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.81 NOK 352

$22.66 ₺1,116

62.44%

Cinema Ticket

$22.03 NOK 210

$8.34 ₺411

164.15%

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

$322 NOK 3,080

$974 ₺48.0K

-66.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K NOK 134.4K

$25.8K ₺1.3M

-45.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$127 NOK 1,212

$52.7 ₺2,597

140.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 NOK 574

$39.16 ₺1,929

53.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$153 NOK 1,459

$103 ₺5,083

48.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$204 NOK 1,948

$96.6 ₺4,759

111.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,658 NOK 15.8K

$994 ₺49.0K

66.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,380 NOK 13.2K

$629 ₺31.0K

119.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,766 NOK 26.4K

$2,024 ₺99.7K

36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,016 NOK 19.3K

$1,155 ₺56.9K

74.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,196 NOK 59.2K

$3,160 ₺155.7K

96.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,307 NOK 50.7K

$1,838 ₺90.5K

188.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,951 NOK 47.3K

$1,203 ₺59.3K

311.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.27

41.09

-87.17%

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

Last update for Stavanger: 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

Stavanger

$1.4K 43.6%

Istanbul

$629 41.2% 54.4% $750

Groceries & Markets

Stavanger

$513 16.2%

Istanbul

$264 17.3% 48.5% $249

Eating Out

Stavanger

$450 14.2%

Istanbul

$218 14.3% 51.6% $232

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Stavanger

$362 11.4%

Istanbul

$117 7.7% 67.7% $245

Clothing & Footwear

Stavanger

$245 7.7%

Istanbul

$131 8.6% 46.4% $113

Getting Around

Stavanger

$121 3.8%

Istanbul

$75 4.9% 37.7% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Stavanger

$94 3%

Istanbul

$94 6.1% 0.5% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,658 in Stavanger versus $994 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 311% higher in Stavanger, 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 $97.0 in Stavanger versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $513 vs $264 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇳🇴 Stavanger

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

09:33 9:33 AM

10:33 10:33 AM

1 h ahead of Stavanger

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,330

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Norwegian Krone NOK kr

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 NOK = 10.47 USD

100 NOK = 9.34 EUR

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 9.55 NOK (1 NOK = 0.105 USD). 1 EUR = 10.71 NOK (100 NOK = 9.34 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 NOK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Stavanger Istanbul 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Stavanger
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

Stavanger vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Stavanger is pricier by about 106%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,710 per month in Stavanger and $2,289 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 $322 per month in Stavanger and $974 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Stavanger, 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 Stavanger at $3,140. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Stavanger 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, Stavanger makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.