Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Astrakhan

For one person, living is cheaper in Astrakhan: $146 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Astrakhan
Learn more

Astrakhan Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Astrakhan

🇷🇺 Russia

$146

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Astrakhan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,621 in Budapest versus $146 in Astrakhan.

Budapest $1,621
Astrakhan $146

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,555 in Budapest versus $326 in Astrakhan.

Budapest $2,555
Astrakhan $326

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Budapest versus $506 in Astrakhan.

Budapest $3,489
Astrakhan $506

Living in Budapest is roughly 1008% more expensive than in Astrakhan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 21% above, Astrakhan is 89% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$8.35 ₽711

67.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$41.20 ₽3,506

46.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$5.28 ₽449

88.64%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$2.63 ₽224

28.52%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$1.37 ₽117

55.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.80 ₽67.9

133.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$2.87 ₽244

30.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$4.49 ₽382

-20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.83 ₽70.5

118.07%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

-66.16%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Astrakhan

$146 100% 34.8% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Astrakhan

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $60.0 in Budapest vs $41.00 in Astrakhan for two.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇷🇺 Astrakhan

🕒 Local time

10:22 10:22 AM

12:22 12:22 PM

2 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

524,371

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

100 RUB = 1.18 USD

100 RUB = 1.05 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 85.09 RUB (100 RUB = 1.18 USD). 1 EUR = 95.44 RUB (100 RUB = 1.05 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Astrakhan 2,190 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Budapest
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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

Budapest vs Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest and Astrakhan differ by about 1008% in total monthly costs ($1,621 vs $146 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,432 in Budapest and $219 in Astrakhan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Astrakhan – a meal for two runs $41.00 versus $60.0 in Budapest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,621 per month in Budapest versus $146 in Astrakhan – a 1008% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $146 in Astrakhan versus $1,621 in Budapest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Budapest and Astrakhan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1008% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.