Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsteinvik and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Istanbul: $1,550 a month against $2,608 in Ulsteinvik, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Ulsteinvik
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,608
/mo nomad
Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,550
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,608 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Ulsteinvik $2,608
  • Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $3,954 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Ulsteinvik $3,954
  • Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $5,301 per month in Ulsteinvik vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

  • Ulsteinvik $5,301
  • Istanbul $3,281

Ulsteinvik costs about 68% more than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ulsteinvik and Istanbul sit above the global median – Ulsteinvik by 93%, Istanbul by 15%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.24 NOK 191
$12.30 ₺609
64.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$106 NOK 996
$54.7 ₺2,708
93.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.39 NOK 126
$9.22 ₺456
45.23%
Cappuccino
$4.68 NOK 44.06
$4.40 ₺218
6.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 NOK 39.26
$1.68 ₺83.1
148.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 NOK 26.77
$0.59 ₺29.40
381.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.40 NOK 126
$4.70 ₺233
185.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.98 NOK 93.9
$5.91 ₺292
68.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.50 NOK 23.54
$1.21 ₺60.0
106.61%
White Bread (500g)
$3.59 NOK 33.75
$0.89 ₺44.10
303.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.81 NOK 35.86
$2.19 ₺108
73.97%
Eggs
$4.92 NOK 46.35
$2.35 ₺116
109.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.40 NOK 126
$10.42 ₺516
28.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.42 NOK 145
$5.65 ₺280
172.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$31.06 NOK 292
$20.94 ₺1,037
48.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 NOK 30.93
$1.90 ₺94.1
73.16%
Banana (1kg)
$2.70 NOK 25.44
$2.31 ₺114
16.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.44 NOK 32.39
$1.28 ₺63.1
168.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.77 NOK 44.87
$1.80 ₺89.0
165.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.52 NOK 23.72
$0.65 ₺32.16
287.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.93 NOK 27.55
$0.64 ₺31.91
357.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.90 NOK 27.27
$1.25 ₺62.1
132.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.55 NOK 23.97
$0.56 ₺27.58
355.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.56 NOK 165
$2.37 ₺118
640.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.52 NOK 156
$13.42 ₺664
23.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.81 NOK 35.82
$2.40 ₺119
58.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 NOK 36.72
$3.48 ₺172
12.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.86 NOK 45.79
$0.89 ₺43.84
446.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.7 NOK 806
$67.4 ₺3,338
27.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$13.46 NOK 127
$1.29 ₺64.1
943.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 NOK 16.25
$0.92 ₺45.70
88.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$69.0 NOK 649
$10.96 ₺542
529.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 NOK 20.01
$1.47 ₺72.9
44.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.7K NOK 393.0K
$50.8K ₺2.5M
-17.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$42.9K NOK 404.3K
$44.5K ₺2.2M
-3.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$266 NOK 2,505
$88.6 ₺4,387
200.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.25 NOK 275
$11.59 ₺574
152.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.4 NOK 503
$15.81 ₺783
237.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.70 NOK 458
$77.2 ₺3,820
-36.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.49 NOK 325
$22.74 ₺1,126
51.67%
Cinema Ticket
$17.01 NOK 160
$8.14 ₺403
108.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$214 NOK 2,017
$1,008 ₺49.9K
-78.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K NOK 137.2K
$25.6K ₺1.3M
-42.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$98.4 NOK 927
$54.0 ₺2,671
82.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.95 NOK 470
$40.83 ₺2,021
22.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 NOK 1,136
$98.9 ₺4,895
22.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 NOK 1,271
$96.6 ₺4,783
39.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 NOK 10.3K
$985 ₺48.7K
11.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,002 NOK 9,434
$650 ₺32.2K
54.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,785 NOK 16.8K
$1,983 ₺98.2K
-10.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,659 NOK 15.6K
$1,180 ₺58.4K
40.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,015 NOK 66.0K
$3,138 ₺155.4K
123.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,138 NOK 39.0K
$1,780 ₺88.1K
132.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ulsteinvik
Istanbul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,205 ₺59.7K
-
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 Ulsteinvik: 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
Ulsteinvik
$1K
Istanbul
$650 35.2% $352
Groceries & Markets
Ulsteinvik
$492
Istanbul
$260 47.2% $232
Eating Out
Ulsteinvik
$373
Istanbul
$223 40.2% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulsteinvik
$349
Istanbul
$116 66.7% $233
Clothing & Footwear
Ulsteinvik
$182
Istanbul
$131 28.2% $51
Getting Around
Ulsteinvik
$127
Istanbul
$77 39.6% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Ulsteinvik
$83
Istanbul
$93 13% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,096 in Ulsteinvik 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Ulsteinvik versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $492 vs $260 – making Istanbul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Ulsteinvik
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🕒 Local time
19:19 7:19 PM
20:19 8:19 PM
1 h ahead of Ulsteinvik
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,600
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
  • Ulsteinvik Istanbul 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ulsteinvik
  • 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
Ulsteinvik vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Istanbul cheaper than Ulsteinvik?
Yes – Ulsteinvik is pricier by about 68%, 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 $3,912 per month in Ulsteinvik 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 $214 per month in Ulsteinvik 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 Ulsteinvik and in Istanbul?
Groceries cost about 89% more in Ulsteinvik, 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 Ulsteinvik or in Istanbul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Istanbul, where all-in costs run around $1,550, than in Ulsteinvik at $2,608. In Istanbul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulsteinvik it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ulsteinvik 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, Ulsteinvik 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, Ulsteinvik makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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