Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Gyongyos

For one person, living is cheaper in Gyongyos: $1,009 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Gyongyos
Learn more

Gyongyos Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Gyongyos

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,009

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Gyongyos

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 Gyongyos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,550 in Istanbul versus $1,009 in Gyongyos.

Istanbul $1,550
Gyongyos $1,009

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Istanbul versus $1,637 in Gyongyos.

Istanbul $2,415
Gyongyos $1,637

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,281 in Istanbul versus $2,265 in Gyongyos.

Istanbul $3,281
Gyongyos $2,265

Living in Istanbul is roughly 54% more expensive than in Gyongyos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Istanbul is 15% above, Gyongyos is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$8.98 Ft 2,902

36.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$46.69 Ft 15.1K

17.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$9.32 Ft 3,012

-1.07%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.18 Ft 704

101.83%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$1.50 Ft 484

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.10 Ft 356

-46.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$2.26 Ft 730

107.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.18 Ft 704

171.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.14 Ft 369

6.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.35 Ft 437

-34.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$1.71 Ft 553

28.07%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$2.34 Ft 756

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.71 Ft 3,462

-2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.42 Ft 2,075

-11.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$12.40 Ft 4,008

68.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$1.67 Ft 540

13.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$1.98 Ft 639

16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.99 Ft 643

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$3.36 Ft 1,087

-46.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.98 Ft 317

-33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.08 Ft 350

-40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.42 Ft 457

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.51 Ft 166

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$7.46 Ft 2,410

-68.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$5.22 Ft 1,688

157.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.12 Ft 363

114.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$1.45 Ft 467

140.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$0.75 Ft 242

18.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$18.19 Ft 5,876

270.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$3.08 Ft 997

-58.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.08 Ft 349

-14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$18.58 Ft 6,003

-41.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.80 Ft 582

-18.33%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$26.1K Ft 8.4M

94.85%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$21.6K Ft 7.0M

105.83%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$130 Ft 42.0K

-31.91%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$21.85 Ft 7,060

-46.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$18.48 Ft 5,970

-14.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$34.34 Ft 11.1K

124.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

$8.94 Ft 2,888

154.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$6.22 Ft 2,009

30.87%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$247 Ft 79.7K

308.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$6,713 Ft 2.2M

280.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$88.5 Ft 28.6K

-39.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$15.38 Ft 4,968

165.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$78.6 Ft 25.4K

25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$77.9 Ft 25.2K

23.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$418 Ft 135.1K

135.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$270 Ft 87.2K

140.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$586 Ft 189.3K

238.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$585 Ft 189.1K

101.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,236 Ft 1.0M

-3.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$2,934 Ft 947.9K

-39.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$762 Ft 246.2K

58.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.92

6.67

513.49%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Last update for Gyongyos: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Gyongyos

$270 26.7% 58.5% $380

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Gyongyos

$224 22.1% 13.9% $36

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Gyongyos

$152 15.1% 31.9% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Gyongyos

$117 11.6% 10.3% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Gyongyos

$170 16.9% 46.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Gyongyos

$47 4.6% 49.9% $47

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Gyongyos

$30 2.9% 61.4% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Istanbul and $418 in Gyongyos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istanbul pays 58% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $55.0 in Istanbul vs $47.00 in Gyongyos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $224 per month, with Gyongyos cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇭🇺 Gyongyos

🕒 Local time

02:31 2:31 AM

01:31 1:31 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

27,645

💱 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 = 2.75 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 17, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Istanbul Gyongyos 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
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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 Gyongyos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gyongyos is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Istanbul, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Istanbul versus $418 in Gyongyos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Istanbul. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gyongyos – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $55.0 in Istanbul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,009 in Gyongyos versus $1,550 in Istanbul, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gyongyos but tight or insufficient in Istanbul. The gap between the two cities makes Gyongyos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Gyongyos is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Istanbul, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Istanbul and Gyongyos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gyongyos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Istanbul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.