Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szolnok and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Szolnok: $1,106 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Szolnok
Learn more

Szolnok Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

Jump to prices

Szolnok

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,106

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szolnok 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 Szolnok and in Istanbul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Szolnok vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Szolnok $1,106
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Szolnok vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Szolnok $1,692
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $2,278 per month in Szolnok vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Szolnok $2,278
Istanbul $3,281

Szolnok is about 29% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Szolnok sits 18% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 Ft 3,101

$12.30 ₺609

-21.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 Ft 15.1K

$54.7 ₺2,708

-14.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 Ft 2,585

$9.22 ₺456

-13.23%

Cappuccino

$2.30 Ft 741

$4.40 ₺218

-47.73%

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

$2.01 Ft 648

$1.68 ₺83.1

19.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 Ft 386

$0.59 ₺29.40

101.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 Ft 823

$4.70 ₺233

-45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 Ft 864

$5.91 ₺292

-54.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 Ft 297

$1.21 ₺60.0

-23.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 Ft 399

$0.89 ₺44.10

39.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 Ft 523

$2.19 ₺108

-26.03%

Eggs

$3.08 Ft 994

$2.35 ₺116

31.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 Ft 2,356

$10.42 ₺516

-30.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 Ft 2,132

$5.65 ₺280

16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 Ft 4,291

$20.94 ₺1,037

-36.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 Ft 464

$1.90 ₺94.1

-24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 Ft 562

$2.31 ₺114

-24.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 Ft 492

$1.28 ₺63.1

18.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 Ft 744

$1.80 ₺89.0

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 Ft 220

$0.65 ₺32.16

4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 Ft 236

$0.64 ₺31.91

14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Ft 330

$1.25 ₺62.1

-18.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Ft 120

$0.56 ₺27.58

-33.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 Ft 2,211

$2.37 ₺118

188.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.62 Ft 1,168

$13.42 ₺664

-73.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 Ft 286

$2.40 ₺119

-62.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 420

$3.48 ₺172

-62.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 Ft 342

$0.89 ₺43.84

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.01 Ft 8,402

$67.4 ₺3,338

-61.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 Ft 912

$1.29 ₺64.1

118.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 Ft 724

$0.92 ₺45.70

143.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.84 Ft 4,794

$10.96 ₺542

35.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 588

$1.47 ₺72.9

23.81%

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

$27.5K Ft 8.9M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-45.89%

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

$36.6K Ft 11.8M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-17.73%

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

$128 Ft 41.3K

$88.6 ₺4,387

44.40%

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

$29.81 Ft 9,631

$11.59 ₺574

157.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.14 Ft 7,152

$15.81 ₺783

40.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 Ft 13.5K

$77.2 ₺3,820

-45.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 Ft 5,835

$22.74 ₺1,126

-20.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 Ft 1,088

$8.14 ₺403

-58.60%

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

$151 Ft 48.8K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-85.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,944 Ft 1.6M

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-80.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 Ft 26.2K

$54.0 ₺2,671

50.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 Ft 16.2K

$40.83 ₺2,021

23.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Ft 28.6K

$98.9 ₺4,895

-10.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 Ft 37.6K

$96.6 ₺4,783

20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 Ft 128.1K

$985 ₺48.7K

-59.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 Ft 105.5K

$650 ₺32.2K

-49.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 Ft 201.9K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-68.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 Ft 162.9K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-57.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 Ft 650.4K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-35.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 Ft 516.2K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-10.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 Ft 342.1K

$1,205 ₺59.7K

-12.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

40.92

-81.21%

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

Last update for Szolnok: October 12, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Szolnok

$327 29.5%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 99% $323

Groceries & Markets

Szolnok

$197 17.8%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 32.1% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Szolnok

$180 16.3%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 35.5% $64

Eating Out

Szolnok

$159 14.4%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 40.2% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Szolnok

$151 13.7%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 13.7% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Szolnok

$49 4.4%

Istanbul

$93 6% 92.5% $45

Getting Around

Szolnok

$44 4%

Istanbul

$77 5% 73.7% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $397 in Szolnok 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 14% 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 $47.00 in Szolnok versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $260 – making Szolnok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Szolnok

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

02:28 2:28 AM

03:28 3:28 AM

1 h ahead of Szolnok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,426

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 20, 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 20, 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 →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Szolnok Istanbul 980 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Szolnok
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

Szolnok vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,660 per month in Szolnok 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 Szolnok, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $151 per month in Szolnok 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 32% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szolnok, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Szolnok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szolnok – 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 Szolnok. 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.