Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Haskovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Haskovo: $860 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Haskovo
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Haskovo Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Haskovo

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$860

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Haskovo

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $860 in Haskovo, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Haskovo $860

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,405 in Haskovo, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Haskovo $1,405

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,949 in Haskovo, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Haskovo $1,949

Budapest costs about 88% more than Haskovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Haskovo is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$9.77 BGN 17.00

42.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$45.26 BGN 78.8

35.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$9.87 BGN 17.18

3.24%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$1.94 BGN 3.38

68.04%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.18 BGN 2.06

81.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.98 BGN 1.71

81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$1.31 BGN 2.27

183.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$4.33 BGN 7.53

-12.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.59 BGN 2.77

-27.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.67 BGN 1.17

167.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.62 BGN 2.81

53.70%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$3.16 BGN 5.50

23.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$11.68 BGN 20.33

-4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$7.57 BGN 13.16

-12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$8.49 BGN 14.78

73.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.55 BGN 2.70

18.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.93 BGN 3.35

6.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$1.46 BGN 2.55

62.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.79 BGN 3.11

117.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.84 BGN 1.46

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.91 BGN 1.59

9.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.85 BGN 1.48

85.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.65 BGN 1.13

3.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$4.23 BGN 7.36

88.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$7.67 BGN 13.34

-18.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$0.84 BGN 1.45

51.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.62 BGN 2.82

25.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.69 BGN 1.21

120.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$22.90 BGN 39.85

22.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$1.16 BGN 2.03

185.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.66 BGN 1.14

107.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$13.42 BGN 23.35

47.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.54 BGN 2.67

18.18%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$30.1K BGN 52.4K

-1.03%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$23.2K BGN 40.4K

45.73%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$94.2 BGN 164

81.60%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$12.98 BGN 22.58

81.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$9.53 BGN 16.59

144.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$54.8 BGN 95.3

23.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$28.11 BGN 48.91

-32.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$7.90 BGN 13.74

17.72%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$774 BGN 1,346

-31.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$2,327 BGN 4,048

620.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$45.30 BGN 78.8

119.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$40.25 BGN 70.0

8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$78.3 BGN 136

40.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$84.2 BGN 147

41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$229 BGN 399

261.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$164 BGN 285

279.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$377 BGN 657

322.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$302 BGN 526

286.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,221 BGN 2,124

377.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$953 BGN 1,659

307.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$1,075 BGN 1,870

53.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

2.89

123.18%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Haskovo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Haskovo

$164 19% 73.7% $458

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Haskovo

$212 24.7% 17.6% $45

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Haskovo

$155 18% 30.5% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Haskovo

$117 13.6% 46.4% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Haskovo

$112 13% 33.4% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Haskovo

$71 8.2% 18% $16

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Haskovo

$30 3.5% 31.9% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $229 in Haskovo. 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 54% 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $45.00 in Haskovo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $213 – making Haskovo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇧🇬 Haskovo

🕒 Local time

04:26 4:26 AM

05:26 5:26 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

76,587

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Haskovo 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Haskovo

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 Haskovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,291 in Haskovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 22% less in Haskovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $774 in Haskovo. 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 Haskovo, where all-in costs run around $860, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Haskovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Haskovo – 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 Haskovo. 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.