Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Dunakeszi

For one person, living is cheaper in Dunakeszi: $1,294 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Dunakeszi
Learn more

Dunakeszi Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Dunakeszi

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,294

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Dunakeszi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Istanbul and in Dunakeszi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,294 in Dunakeszi, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Dunakeszi $1,294

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,967 in Dunakeszi, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Dunakeszi $1,967

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,641 in Dunakeszi, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Dunakeszi $2,641

Istanbul costs about 20% more than Dunakeszi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Dunakeszi is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$13.62 Ft 4,389

-9.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,709

$48.37 Ft 15.6K

13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺457

$9.85 Ft 3,177

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.38 Ft 768

84.87%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$1.81 Ft 584

-7.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.41

$1.01 Ft 327

-41.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$1.79 Ft 577

162.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺293

$2.34 Ft 753

152.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.20 Ft 387

0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.11

$1.58 Ft 509

-43.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.38 Ft 766

-7.98%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.73 Ft 1,202

-37.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.21 Ft 3,293

2.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.67 Ft 2,150

-15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$14.27 Ft 4,601

46.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.89 Ft 609

0.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.02 Ft 653

14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.2

$2.10 Ft 676

-39.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$3.93 Ft 1,266

-54.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.17

$1.04 Ft 334

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.92

$1.22 Ft 393

-47.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.57 Ft 507

-20.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.59

$0.53 Ft 172

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$6.96 Ft 2,244

-65.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$4.17 Ft 1,344

221.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.24 Ft 400

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.08 Ft 671

67.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.85

$1.19 Ft 385

-25.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,339

$27.09 Ft 8,732

148.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$3.40 Ft 1,097

-62.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.71

$1.32 Ft 424

-30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺543

$20.57 Ft 6,630

-46.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺73.0

$1.90 Ft 612

-22.63%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$32.7K Ft 10.5M

55.46%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$33.1K Ft 10.7M

34.63%

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

$88.6 ₺4,388

$170 Ft 54.7K

-47.77%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$24.09 Ft 7,764

-51.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$20.95 Ft 6,754

-24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,821

$42.18 Ft 13.6K

82.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$18.63 Ft 6,006

22.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$9.17 Ft 2,955

-11.23%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$401 Ft 129.4K

151.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$10.9K Ft 3.5M

135.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,672

$87.5 Ft 28.2K

-38.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,022

$32.97 Ft 10.6K

23.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,897

$84.3 Ft 27.2K

17.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,784

$103 Ft 33.1K

-5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.8K

$537 Ft 173.2K

83.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$401 Ft 129.1K

62.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$770 Ft 248.3K

157.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$651 Ft 209.8K

81.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$2,999 Ft 966.8K

4.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,618 Ft 843.9K

-32.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,083 Ft 349.0K

11.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.5

529.54%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Dunakeszi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Dunakeszi

$401 31% 38.3% $249

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Dunakeszi

$246 19% 5.4% $14

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Dunakeszi

$192 14.8% 14% $31

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Dunakeszi

$138 10.7% 6% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Dunakeszi

$215 16.6% 85% $99

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Dunakeszi

$61 4.7% 35.2% $33

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Dunakeszi

$42 3.2% 45.6% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $537 in Dunakeszi. 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 11% higher in Istanbul, 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 $55.0 in Istanbul versus $48.00 in Dunakeszi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $246 – making Dunakeszi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇭🇺 Dunakeszi

🕒 Local time

18:18 6:18 PM

17:18 5:18 PM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

42,747

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 49.52 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.54 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 322 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 362 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.77 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Dunakeszi 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Dunakeszi

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

Istanbul vs Dunakeszi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,940 in Dunakeszi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dunakeszi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 149% less in Dunakeszi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $401 in Dunakeszi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dunakeszi, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Dunakeszi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dunakeszi – 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 Dunakeszi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.