Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Boroko

For one person, living is cheaper in Boroko: $883 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Boroko
Learn more

Boroko Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Boroko

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$883

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Boroko

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $883 in Boroko, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Boroko $883

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $1,279 in Boroko, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Boroko $1,279

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $1,676 in Boroko, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Boroko $1,676

Budapest costs about 84% more than Boroko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Boroko is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

$7.32 PGK 32.06

91.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

$34.97 PGK 153

72.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$5.65 PGK 24.74

76.28%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

$2.49 PGK 10.91

35.74%

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

$2.13 Ft 693

$0.73 PGK 3.22

191.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

$0.68 PGK 2.99

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$2.57 PGK 11.28

45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

$3.60 PGK 15.78

-0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$1.51 PGK 6.60

-25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

$1.20 PGK 5.27

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$1.22 PGK 5.34

95.90%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$3.69 PGK 16.19

3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

$4.91 PGK 21.53

130.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

$5.74 PGK 25.15

17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

$6.51 PGK 28.52

125.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

$3.93 PGK 17.21

-53.18%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

$3.13 PGK 13.74

-35.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$2.68 PGK 11.76

-11.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

$2.67 PGK 11.69

41.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

$2.84 PGK 12.45

-66.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

$0.85 PGK 3.75

21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$1.13 PGK 4.94

38.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.43 PGK 1.87

53.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

$5.51 PGK 24.16

44.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

$4.87 PGK 21.33

23.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

$1.13 PGK 4.95

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

$1.58 PGK 6.93

31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

$0.43 PGK 1.88

248.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

$29.80 PGK 131

-7.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

$4.54 PGK 19.87

-27.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.36 PGK 5.96

-4.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

$11.18 PGK 48.99

76.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.79 PGK 3.47

129.11%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

$20.6K PGK 90.3K

42.39%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$17.4K PGK 76.3K

95.96%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$62.5 PGK 274

171.95%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

$22.96 PGK 101

4.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

$90.5 PGK 396

-74.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$42.26 PGK 185

56.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

$14.52 PGK 63.6

32.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

$6.56 PGK 28.73

45.12%

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

$328 PGK 1,438

63.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$2,247 PGK 9,848

638.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$32.17 PGK 141

215.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$13.05 PGK 57.2

229.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$45.08 PGK 198

150.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

$26.83 PGK 118

342.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

$3,311 PGK 14.5K

-75.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

$225 PGK 984

180.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

$3,352 PGK 14.7K

-53.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

$224 PGK 982

420.68%

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 529.5K

$356 PGK 1,561

356.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

-41.55%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Boroko: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Boroko

$225 25.2% 64.3% $405

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Boroko

$211 23.6% 18.2% $47

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Boroko

$131 14.7% 41.5% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Boroko

$176 19.7% 19.1% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Boroko

$53 5.9% 68.8% $116

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Boroko

$55 6.2% 35.1% $30

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Boroko

$43 4.8% 1.4% $0.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $3,311 in Boroko. 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 356% higher in Budapest, 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 $60.0 in Budapest versus $35.00 in Boroko. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $211 – making Boroko the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇵🇬 Boroko

🕒 Local time

07:03 7:03 AM

15:03 3:03 PM

8 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 PGK = 0.228 USD

1 PGK = 0.203 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

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).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.38 PGK (1 PGK = 0.228 USD). 1 EUR = 4.91 PGK (1 PGK = 0.203 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Boroko 13,590 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Boroko

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 Boroko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest costs about 84% more than Boroko, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $1,324 in Boroko. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $328 in Boroko. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Budapest, 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 Boroko, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Boroko it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boroko costs $883 versus $1,621 in Budapest. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Boroko. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.