Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Bydgoszcz Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Bydgoszcz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $1,516 in Bydgoszcz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $2,288 in Bydgoszcz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $3,060 in Bydgoszcz, rent included.

Budapest costs about 14% more than Bydgoszcz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Budapest and Bydgoszcz sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Bydgoszcz by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,465

$12.81 zł 47.59

12.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 19.7K

$67.5 zł 251

-6.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,493

$7.91 zł 29.38

41.97%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,058

$3.83 zł 14.21

-11.23%

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

$2.14 Ft 667

$2.29 zł 8.50

-6.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 632

$1.79 zł 6.64

13.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,162

$4.15 zł 15.40

-9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,179

$3.79 zł 14.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.05 zł 3.90

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.75 zł 6.52

9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 803

$0.98 zł 3.65

163.27%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,287

$4.02 zł 14.94

2.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,868

$9.13 zł 33.94

36.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,146

$7.47 zł 27.75

-7.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,777

$12.19 zł 45.29

26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 645

$1.39 zł 5.16

48.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 676

$1.76 zł 6.54

23.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 776

$1.64 zł 6.08

51.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,278

$3.34 zł 12.41

23.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 322

$1.04 zł 3.85

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 310

$1.37 zł 5.10

-27.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 494

$1.20 zł 4.46

32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 212

$0.70 zł 2.59

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,609

$6.09 zł 22.61

37.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 1,984

$8.81 zł 32.73

-27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 414

$1.06 zł 3.95

25.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 701

$1.42 zł 5.28

58.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 491

$1.01 zł 3.75

56.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,954

$29.39 zł 109

-2.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,110

$2.35 zł 8.72

51.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 445

$0.87 zł 3.24

64.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,405

$10.45 zł 38.81

96.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 582

$1.60 zł 5.93

16.88%

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

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

$32.5K zł 120.7K

-2.12%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

$28.9K zł 107.4K

24.38%

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

$173 Ft 54.0K

$271 zł 1,008

-36.06%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,080

$8.22 zł 30.55

215.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 7,855

$18.64 zł 69.3

35.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

$40.51 zł 150

77.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,975

$17.47 zł 64.9

9.90%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,038

$8.00 zł 29.73

22.00%

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

$577 Ft 179.5K

$347 zł 1,289

66.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

$5,429 zł 20.2K

225.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.2K

$84.7 zł 315

26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

$38.80 zł 144

13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.2K

$93.0 zł 346

25.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$107 zł 399

12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 267.1K

$720 zł 2,675

19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 208.8K

$526 zł 1,956

27.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 520.1K

$1,134 zł 4,213

47.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 403.1K

$924 zł 3,432

40.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$2,953 zł 11.0K

105.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$2,241 zł 8,326

85.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 531.6K

$1,585 zł 5,887

7.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.89

-3.05%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bydgoszcz: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $720 in Bydgoszcz. 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 8% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $67.0 in Bydgoszcz. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Budapest vs $235 in Bydgoszcz – so Bydgoszcz wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bydgoszcz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,581 per month in Budapest and $2,274 in Bydgoszcz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Bydgoszcz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Budapest and $347 in Bydgoszcz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bydgoszcz, where all-in costs run around $1,516, than in Budapest at $1,721. In Bydgoszcz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bydgoszcz – 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 Bydgoszcz. 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.