Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Irkutsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Irkutsk: $1,013 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 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
49

Cost of Living Index in Irkutsk
Learn more

Irkutsk Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Irkutsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,013

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Irkutsk

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $1,013 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Irkutsk $1,013

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $1,501 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Irkutsk $1,501

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $1,988 in Irkutsk, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Irkutsk $1,988

Budapest costs about 60% more than Irkutsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Irkutsk is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$7.18 ₽611

94.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$32.58 ₽2,772

85.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$5.81 ₽494

71.43%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$3.03 ₽258

11.55%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$1.60 ₽136

33.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.65 ₽55.1

187.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$2.69 ₽229

39.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$4.04 ₽344

-11.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$1.20 ₽102

-5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$0.64 ₽54.5

187.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$2.22 ₽189

7.66%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$1.59 ₽135

140.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$11.69 ₽995

-3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$6.04 ₽514

11.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$11.24 ₽956

30.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$1.89 ₽161

-2.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.99 ₽169

1.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$1.75 ₽149

34.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$3.47 ₽295

8.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$0.72 ₽61.4

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$0.69 ₽58.6

49.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$1.79 ₽152

-12.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.65 ₽55.6

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$2.70 ₽230

194.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$7.17 ₽610

-16.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$1.02 ₽86.7

27.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$1.90 ₽162

9.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$0.57 ₽48.62

163.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$15.79 ₽1,344

74.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$1.19 ₽102

177.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$0.18 ₽14.94

622.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$8.91 ₽758

122.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.79 ₽66.8

129.11%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$29.0K ₽2.5M

1.11%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$36.8K ₽3.1M

-7.33%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$118 ₽10.0K

44.49%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$5.84 ₽497

310.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$11.41 ₽971

105.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$34.35 ₽2,923

92.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$21.13 ₽1,798

-9.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$6.64 ₽565

43.37%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$294 ₽25.0K

82.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$3,121 ₽265.6K

432.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$58.7 ₽4,992

72.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$23.42 ₽1,993

83.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$100 ₽8,516

12.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$113 ₽9,642

4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$438 ₽37.2K

83.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$309 ₽26.3K

103.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$750 ₽63.8K

106.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$432 ₽36.8K

170.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$2,712 ₽230.8K

107.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$1,807 ₽153.7K

119.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$752 ₽64.0K

116.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

24.57

-73.83%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Irkutsk: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Irkutsk

$309 30.7% 50.8% $320

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Irkutsk

$220 21.9% 14.5% $37

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Irkutsk

$142 14.1% 36.8% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Irkutsk

$135 13.4% 37.9% $82

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Irkutsk

$133 13.2% 21.4% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Irkutsk

$48 4.7% 44.1% $38

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Irkutsk

$20 2% 53.6% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $438 in Irkutsk. 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 116% 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 $33.00 in Irkutsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $220 – making Irkutsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇷🇺 Irkutsk

🕒 Local time

08:00 8:00 AM

14:00 2:00 PM

6 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

617,515

💱 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 →

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Between locations

Budapest Irkutsk 5,770 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

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 Irkutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 60%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $1,520 in Irkutsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 75% less in Irkutsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $294 in Irkutsk. 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 Irkutsk, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Irkutsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Irkutsk – 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 Irkutsk. 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.