Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Szeged: $1,227 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Szeged
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Szeged Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
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Istanbul Living Index

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Szeged

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,227

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szeged and in Istanbul

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

A single person spends $1,227 per month in Szeged vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Szeged $1,227
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,912 per month in Szeged vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Szeged $1,912
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $2,596 per month in Szeged vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Szeged $2,596
Istanbul $3,281

Szeged is about 21% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Szeged sits 9% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.98 Ft 2,902

$12.30 ₺609

-26.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.4 Ft 18.5K

$54.7 ₺2,708

4.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 Ft 3,018

$9.22 ₺456

1.30%

Cappuccino

$2.41 Ft 777

$4.40 ₺218

-45.23%

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

$1.56 Ft 504

$1.68 ₺83.1

-7.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 429

$0.59 ₺29.40

125.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 Ft 754

$4.70 ₺233

-50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 717

$5.91 ₺292

-62.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 393

$1.21 ₺60.0

0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 Ft 441

$0.89 ₺44.10

53.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 Ft 781

$2.19 ₺108

10.50%

Eggs

$3.56 Ft 1,150

$2.35 ₺116

51.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 Ft 3,378

$10.42 ₺516

0.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 Ft 2,070

$5.65 ₺280

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 Ft 5,298

$20.94 ₺1,037

-21.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 Ft 737

$1.90 ₺94.1

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 Ft 716

$2.31 ₺114

-4.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 662

$1.28 ₺63.1

60.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.35 Ft 1,082

$1.80 ₺89.0

86.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 Ft 317

$0.65 ₺32.16

50.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 Ft 336

$0.64 ₺31.91

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 Ft 537

$1.25 ₺62.1

32.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Ft 167

$0.56 ₺27.58

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 Ft 2,599

$2.37 ₺118

239.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 Ft 1,760

$13.42 ₺664

-59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 Ft 407

$2.40 ₺119

-47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 Ft 643

$3.48 ₺172

-42.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 Ft 527

$0.89 ₺43.84

83.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.42 Ft 9,505

$67.4 ₺3,338

-56.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 Ft 975

$1.29 ₺64.1

134.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 Ft 533

$0.92 ₺45.70

79.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.15 Ft 5,864

$10.96 ₺542

65.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 Ft 615

$1.47 ₺72.9

29.25%

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

$29.5K Ft 9.5M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-41.93%

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

$37.9K Ft 12.2M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-14.94%

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

$127 Ft 40.9K

$88.6 ₺4,387

43.03%

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

$21.61 Ft 6,981

$11.59 ₺574

86.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.17 Ft 6,515

$15.81 ₺783

27.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.93 Ft 15.2K

$77.2 ₺3,820

-39.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.12 Ft 9,409

$22.74 ₺1,126

28.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 Ft 2,775

$8.14 ₺403

5.53%

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

$248 Ft 80.2K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-75.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,658 Ft 2.2M

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-73.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 Ft 36.9K

$54.0 ₺2,671

111.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 Ft 10.4K

$40.83 ₺2,021

-20.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 Ft 30.4K

$98.9 ₺4,895

-4.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 Ft 36.7K

$96.6 ₺4,783

17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 Ft 168.9K

$985 ₺48.7K

-46.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 Ft 122.9K

$650 ₺32.2K

-41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 Ft 245.8K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-61.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 Ft 194.7K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-48.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,103 Ft 1.0M

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-1.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,320 Ft 749.4K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

30.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,234 Ft 398.7K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

2.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

40.92

-83.70%

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

Last update for Szeged: October 10, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Szeged

$380 31%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 70.9% $270

Groceries & Markets

Szeged

$251 20.5%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 3.5% $8.7

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Szeged

$169 13.7%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 31.2% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Szeged

$159 13%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 18% $29

Eating Out

Szeged

$156 12.8%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 42.8% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Szeged

$64 5.2%

Istanbul

$93 6% 45.7% $29

Getting Around

Szeged

$47 3.9%

Istanbul

$77 5% 62.8% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Szeged versus $985 in Istanbul. 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 2% higher in Szeged, 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 $57.0 in Szeged versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Szeged vs $260 in Istanbul – so Szeged wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Szeged

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

16:10 4:10 PM

17:10 5:10 PM

1 h ahead of Szeged

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

157,930

15,701,602

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Szeged Istanbul 920 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Szeged
Istanbul

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

Szeged vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,840 per month in Szeged and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $248 per month in Szeged and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szeged – 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 Szeged. 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.