Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Istanbul and Szekesfehervar

For one person, living is cheaper in Szekesfehervar: $1,092 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Szekesfehervar
Learn more

Szekesfehervar Living Index

Jump to prices

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Szekesfehervar

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,092

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Istanbul and in Szekesfehervar

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

A single person spends $1,550 per month in Istanbul vs $1,092 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Istanbul $1,550
Szekesfehervar $1,092

A couple spends around $2,415 per month in Istanbul vs $1,793 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Istanbul $2,415
Szekesfehervar $1,793

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Istanbul vs $2,494 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Istanbul $3,281
Szekesfehervar $2,494

Istanbul costs about 42% more than Szekesfehervar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Istanbul sits 15% above the global median, while Szekesfehervar is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.30 ₺609

$9.28 Ft 2,998

32.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 ₺2,708

$57.0 Ft 18.4K

-4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 ₺456

$8.35 Ft 2,696

10.42%

Cappuccino

$4.40 ₺218

$2.15 Ft 695

104.65%

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

$1.68 ₺83.1

$1.42 Ft 458

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₺29.40

$1.07 Ft 346

-44.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.70 ₺233

$2.01 Ft 650

133.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 ₺292

$2.22 Ft 717

166.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 ₺60.0

$1.22 Ft 394

-0.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 ₺44.10

$1.35 Ft 435

-34.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.51 Ft 812

-12.75%

Eggs

$2.35 ₺116

$3.37 Ft 1,089

-30.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 ₺516

$10.76 Ft 3,476

-3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 ₺280

$6.18 Ft 1,997

-8.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 ₺1,037

$16.27 Ft 5,256

28.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ₺94.1

$2.15 Ft 696

-11.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 ₺114

$2.25 Ft 728

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ₺63.1

$1.98 Ft 640

-35.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 ₺89.0

$3.15 Ft 1,018

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺32.16

$0.98 Ft 318

-33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₺31.91

$1.08 Ft 350

-40.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ₺62.1

$1.65 Ft 533

-24.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₺27.58

$0.49 Ft 157

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 ₺118

$6.40 Ft 2,067

-62.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 ₺664

$3.07 Ft 993

337.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₺119

$1.25 Ft 405

92.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 ₺172

$2.02 Ft 653

72.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ₺43.84

$1.23 Ft 399

-27.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 ₺3,338

$26.59 Ft 8,589

153.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 ₺64.1

$2.97 Ft 960

-56.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 ₺45.70

$1.73 Ft 558

-46.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.96 ₺542

$18.60 Ft 6,011

-41.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ₺72.9

$1.90 Ft 613

-22.63%

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

$50.8K ₺2.5M

$29.7K Ft 9.6M

71.19%

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

$44.5K ₺2.2M

$30.8K Ft 10.0M

44.50%

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

$88.6 ₺4,387

$129 Ft 41.5K

-31.10%

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

$11.59 ₺574

$26.81 Ft 8,662

-56.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 ₺783

$19.60 Ft 6,333

-19.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.2 ₺3,820

$46.64 Ft 15.1K

65.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 ₺1,126

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 ₺403

$8.73 Ft 2,819

-6.76%

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

$1,008 ₺49.9K

$244 Ft 78.9K

312.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K ₺1.3M

$6,665 Ft 2.2M

283.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ₺2,671

$70.1 Ft 22.6K

-23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.83 ₺2,021

$24.67 Ft 7,970

65.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ₺4,895

$76.5 Ft 24.7K

29.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 ₺4,783

$85.0 Ft 27.5K

13.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ₺48.7K

$395 Ft 127.7K

149.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ₺32.2K

$302 Ft 97.5K

115.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,983 ₺98.2K

$614 Ft 198.5K

222.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ₺58.4K

$653 Ft 210.9K

80.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,138 ₺155.4K

$3,394 Ft 1.1M

-7.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,780 ₺88.1K

$3,080 Ft 995.0K

-42.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

$1,456 Ft 470.5K

-17.23%

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 Szekesfehervar: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Istanbul

$650 41.9%

Szekesfehervar

$302 27.6% 53.6% $348

Groceries & Markets

Istanbul

$260 16.8%

Szekesfehervar

$243 22.3% 6.4% $17

Eating Out

Istanbul

$223 14.4%

Szekesfehervar

$150 13.7% 33% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Istanbul

$131 8.4%

Szekesfehervar

$115 10.6% 11.7% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Istanbul

$116 7.5%

Szekesfehervar

$175 16% 50.8% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Istanbul

$93 6%

Szekesfehervar

$64 5.9% 31.4% $29

Getting Around

Istanbul

$77 5%

Szekesfehervar

$43 4% 43.9% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Istanbul versus $395 in Szekesfehervar. 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 21% higher in Szekesfehervar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Istanbul versus $57.0 in Szekesfehervar. Groceries tell a different story – $260 in Istanbul vs $243 in Szekesfehervar – so Szekesfehervar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🇭🇺 Szekesfehervar

🕒 Local time

03:24 3:24 AM

02:24 2:24 AM

1 h behind Istanbul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,701,602

96,024

💱 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 18, 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 18, 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Istanbul Szekesfehervar 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Istanbul
Szekesfehervar

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 Szekesfehervar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,325 per month in Istanbul and $1,638 in Szekesfehervar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,008 per month in Istanbul and $244 in Szekesfehervar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szekesfehervar, where all-in costs run around $1,092, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Szekesfehervar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szekesfehervar – 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 Szekesfehervar. 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.