Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kone

For one person, living is cheaper in Kone: $463 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Kone

🇳🇨 New Caledonia

$463

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Kone

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $463 in Kone, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Kone $463

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $688 in Kone, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Kone $688

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $913 in Kone, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Kone $913

Budapest costs about 250% more than Kone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Kone is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$52.9 CFPF 5,636

14.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

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

$2.13 Ft 692

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

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

$1.45 CFPF 154

-54.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$17.44 CFPF 1,858

-54.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$15.06 CFPF 1,604

-60.09%

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

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

$172 CFPF 18.4K

-1.42%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$95.5 CFPF 10.2K

-75.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$56.2 CFPF 5,989

17.78%

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

$115 CFPF 12.2K

-11.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$70.3 CFPF 7,484

60.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$583 CFPF 62.1K

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$1,500 CFPF 159.8K

3.28%

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

$2,926 CFPF 311.7K

-44.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kone: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Kone

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Kone

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Kone

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Kone

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Kone

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Kone

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Kone

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $583 in Kone. 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 80% higher in Kone, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Budapest versus $53.0 in Kone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $47.00 – making Kone the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇳🇨 Kone

🕒 Local time

08:00 8:00 AM

17:00 5:00 PM

9 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

5,500

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

CFP Franc XPF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1,000 XPF = 9.39 USD

1,000 XPF = 8.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, 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).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 107 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.39 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.37 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Kone 15,770 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

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Budapest
Kone

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 Kone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 250%, 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 $695 in Kone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 443% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Budapest and $53.0 in Kone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kone, where all-in costs run around $463, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Kone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kone – 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 Kone. 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.