Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Heviz

For one person, living is cheaper in Heviz: $1,367 a month against $1,525 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Istanbul
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,525
/mo nomad
Heviz
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,367
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Heviz

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

A single person spends $1,525 per month in Istanbul vs $1,367 in Heviz, rent included.

  • Istanbul $1,525
  • Heviz $1,367

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Istanbul vs $2,100 in Heviz, rent included.

  • Istanbul $2,390
  • Heviz $2,100

A family of three spends $3,256 per month in Istanbul vs $2,833 in Heviz, rent included.

  • Istanbul $3,256
  • Heviz $2,833

Istanbul costs about 12% more than Heviz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Istanbul and Heviz sit above the global median – Istanbul by 13%, Heviz by 1%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 ₺592
$12.18 Ft 3,934
-1.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 ₺2,834
$60.1 Ft 19.4K
-4.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.51 ₺471
$10.23 Ft 3,305
-7.04%
Cappuccino
$4.40 ₺218
$3.29 Ft 1,064
33.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 ₺86.6
$2.07 Ft 668
-15.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.57
$1.88 Ft 607
-70.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.71 ₺233
$3.74 Ft 1,207
25.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.14 ₺304
$3.58 Ft 1,157
71.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 ₺61.6
$1.15 Ft 372
7.83%
White Bread (500g)
$0.95 ₺47.25
$1.83 Ft 591
-48.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 ₺113
$2.49 Ft 805
-8.43%
Eggs
$2.45 ₺121
$3.82 Ft 1,235
-35.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.56 ₺523
$11.22 Ft 3,624
-5.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.50 ₺272
$6.76 Ft 2,185
-18.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.65 ₺1,072
$14.81 Ft 4,783
46.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 ₺90.6
$1.89 Ft 611
-3.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.29 ₺113
$2.05 Ft 663
11.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.28 ₺63.4
$2.28 Ft 738
-43.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 ₺90.1
$3.90 Ft 1,259
-53.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.66 ₺32.74
$1.04 Ft 337
-36.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.63 ₺31.14
$1.04 Ft 335
-39.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ₺62.8
$1.58 Ft 510
-19.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₺27.62
$0.67 Ft 216
-16.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.36 ₺117
$8.05 Ft 2,600
-70.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.98 ₺642
$6.08 Ft 1,964
113.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 ₺123
$1.28 Ft 415
93.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50 ₺174
$2.13 Ft 687
64.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 ₺40.77
$1.20 Ft 388
-31.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.2 ₺3,228
$26.20 Ft 8,463
148.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 ₺65.7
$3.39 Ft 1,096
-60.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 ₺44.60
$1.33 Ft 429
-32.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.91 ₺540
$20.54 Ft 6,638
-46.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ₺70.7
$1.88 Ft 608
-23.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K ₺2.5M
$28.9K Ft 9.4M
71.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.2K ₺2.1M
$33.1K Ft 10.7M
30.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₺4,395
$172 Ft 55.7K
-48.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.69 ₺579
$23.68 Ft 7,651
-50.63%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.09 ₺797
$23.87 Ft 7,713
-32.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.3 ₺3,776
$47.33 Ft 15.3K
61.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.72 ₺1,125
$18.49 Ft 5,973
22.88%
Cinema Ticket
$8.26 ₺409
$9.50 Ft 3,070
-13.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,015 ₺50.2K
$245 Ft 79.0K
314.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K ₺1.3M
$7,676 Ft 2.5M
236.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ₺2,636
$102 Ft 32.8K
-47.59%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.55 ₺2,008
$43.18 Ft 13.9K
-6.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 ₺4,956
$110 Ft 35.7K
-9.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.5 ₺4,630
$117 Ft 37.7K
-19.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$977 ₺48.4K
$520 Ft 168.0K
87.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$627 ₺31.0K
$404 Ft 130.4K
55.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,980 ₺98.0K
$743 Ft 240.2K
166.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,147 ₺56.8K
$652 Ft 210.5K
76.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,095 ₺153.2K
$3,037 Ft 981.3K
1.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,787 ₺88.5K
$2,648 Ft 855.6K
-32.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Istanbul
Heviz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,213 ₺60.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
40.69
6.45
530.85%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 19, 2026

Last update for Heviz: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Istanbul
$627
Heviz
$404 35.6% $223
Groceries & Markets
Istanbul
$263
Heviz
$260 1.1% $2.9
Eating Out
Istanbul
$222
Heviz
$209 5.8% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Istanbul
$129
Heviz
$167 29.4% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Istanbul
$117
Heviz
$220 88.7% $103
Sport & Entertainment
Istanbul
$93
Heviz
$66 28.5% $26
Getting Around
Istanbul
$74
Heviz
$41 44.8% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Istanbul versus $520 in Heviz. 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 $57.0 in Istanbul versus $60.0 in Heviz. Groceries tell a different story – $263 in Istanbul vs $260 in Heviz – so Heviz wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇷 Istanbul
🇭🇺 Heviz
🕒 Local time
13:29 1:29 PM
12:29 12:29 PM
1 h behind Istanbul
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
15,701,602
4,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 24, 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 24, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Istanbul Heviz 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Istanbul
  • Heviz

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 Heviz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Heviz cheaper than Istanbul?
Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,287 per month in Istanbul and $2,051 in Heviz. 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 Heviz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Istanbul and in Heviz?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,525 in Istanbul and $1,367 in Heviz. That's a gap of about 12%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 149% less in Heviz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Istanbul or in Heviz?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Heviz, where all-in costs run around $1,367, than in Istanbul at $1,525. In Heviz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Istanbul or Heviz more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Heviz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Istanbul or Heviz?
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 Heviz. 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.

Istanbul vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?