Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Miskolc

For one person, living is cheaper in Miskolc: $1,205 a month against $1,526 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

74

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Miskolc
Learn more

Miskolc Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,526

/mo nomad

Miskolc

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,205

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Miskolc

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

A single person spends $1,526 per month in Istanbul vs $1,205 in Miskolc, rent included.

Istanbul $1,526
Miskolc $1,205

A couple spends around $2,399 per month in Istanbul vs $1,832 in Miskolc, rent included.

Istanbul $2,399
Miskolc $1,832

A family of three spends $3,272 per month in Istanbul vs $2,459 in Miskolc, rent included.

Istanbul $3,272
Miskolc $2,459

Istanbul costs about 27% more than Miskolc, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 14% above the global median, while Miskolc is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.88 ₺585

$9.11 Ft 2,967

30.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 ₺2,715

$45.13 Ft 14.7K

22.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.14 ₺450

$9.39 Ft 3,057

-2.66%

Cappuccino

$4.24 ₺209

$2.23 Ft 725

90.13%

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

$1.75 ₺86.0

$1.44 Ft 470

21.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₺26.84

$1.24 Ft 402

-56.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 ₺231

$2.19 Ft 713

114.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.97 ₺294

$2.18 Ft 712

173.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₺62.1

$1.15 Ft 374

9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 ₺46.82

$1.55 Ft 505

-38.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.38 Ft 776

-2.94%

Eggs

$2.47 ₺122

$3.94 Ft 1,282

-37.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 ₺520

$10.65 Ft 3,467

-0.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 ₺276

$7.02 Ft 2,285

-20.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.21 ₺1,045

$15.70 Ft 5,114

35.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₺95.1

$2.17 Ft 706

-11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₺113

$2.22 Ft 724

3.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$2.18 Ft 710

-41.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 ₺90.8

$3.91 Ft 1,272

-52.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₺32.87

$1.21 Ft 393

-44.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₺29.31

$1.50 Ft 487

-60.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ₺65.4

$1.79 Ft 582

-25.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.11

$0.58 Ft 189

1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 ₺116

$7.32 Ft 2,383

-67.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 ₺664

$6.03 Ft 1,965

123.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₺119

$1.33 Ft 432

81.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₺174

$2.58 Ft 841

37.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 ₺40.65

$1.33 Ft 432

-37.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.5 ₺3,274

$26.99 Ft 8,791

146.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₺66.6

$2.81 Ft 916

-51.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₺42.06

$1.25 Ft 407

-32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.86 ₺535

$14.80 Ft 4,821

-26.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.3

$1.83 Ft 596

-19.67%

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

$51.6K ₺2.5M

$28.0K Ft 9.1M

84.45%

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

$44.4K ₺2.2M

$35.5K Ft 11.6M

25.10%

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

$89.2 ₺4,396

$181 Ft 59.0K

-50.77%

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

$11.60 ₺572

$21.59 Ft 7,032

-46.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.10 ₺793

$19.54 Ft 6,362

-17.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.3 ₺3,806

$55.1 Ft 17.9K

40.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.66 ₺1,116

$15.24 Ft 4,963

48.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.34 ₺411

$7.81 Ft 2,544

6.79%

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

$974 ₺48.0K

$356 Ft 115.9K

173.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ₺1.3M

$9,235 Ft 3.0M

179.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₺2,597

$54.7 Ft 17.8K

-3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 ₺1,930

$28.29 Ft 9,212

38.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 ₺5,084

$70.8 Ft 23.0K

45.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,760

$72.5 Ft 23.6K

33.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 ₺49.0K

$420 Ft 136.7K

136.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₺31.0K

$336 Ft 109.5K

87.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ₺99.7K

$689 Ft 224.5K

193.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 ₺56.9K

$583 Ft 189.8K

98.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,160 ₺155.7K

$2,130 Ft 693.8K

48.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 ₺90.5K

$1,848 Ft 602.0K

-0.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 ₺59.3K

$1,172 Ft 381.7K

2.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

41.09

6.97

489.53%

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

Last update for Istanbul: October 3, 2026

Last update for Miskolc: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$629 41.2%

Miskolc

$336 28.3% 46.6% $293

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$264 17.3%

Miskolc

$263 22.1% 0.2% $0.5

Eating Out

Istanbul

$218 14.3%

Miskolc

$154 12.9% 29.4% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.6%

Miskolc

$102 8.6% 22.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$117 7.7%

Miskolc

$222 18.7% 90.2% $105

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$94 6.1%

Miskolc

$71 5.9% 24.8% $23

Getting Around

Istanbul

$75 4.9%

Miskolc

$41 3.5% 45.1% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Istanbul versus $420 in Miskolc. 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 3% 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 $45.00 in Miskolc. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $263 – making Miskolc the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇭🇺 Miskolc

🕒 Local time

08:31 8:31 AM

07:31 7:31 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

143,502

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.03 USD

100 TRY = 1.81 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 49.27 TRY (100 TRY = 2.03 USD). 1 EUR = 55.26 TRY (100 TRY = 1.81 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Miskolc 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Miskolc

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 Miskolc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,289 per month in Istanbul and $1,808 in Miskolc. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $974 per month in Istanbul and $356 in Miskolc. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Miskolc, where all-in costs run around $1,205, than in Istanbul at $1,526. In Miskolc it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miskolc – 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 Miskolc. 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.