Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,738 in Krakow, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $2,487 in Krakow, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $3,236 in Krakow, rent included.

Budapest is about 17% cheaper than Krakow, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Budapest and Krakow sit above the global median – Budapest by 8%, Krakow by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,498

$10.66 zł 38.87

7.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$55.2 zł 201

3.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,636

$9.30 zł 33.92

-6.88%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 842

$4.03 zł 14.71

-31.27%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$2.22 zł 8.08

-18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 406

$2.22 zł 8.10

-40.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 857

$4.03 zł 14.70

-30.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 851

$4.16 zł 15.16

-32.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 367

$1.10 zł 4.01

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 528

$1.45 zł 5.27

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 635

$1.47 zł 5.37

41.50%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 945

$3.75 zł 13.67

-17.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,029

$9.05 zł 33.00

9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,926

$6.37 zł 23.23

-0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,060

$11.55 zł 42.12

15.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 564

$1.25 zł 4.55

48.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 581

$1.81 zł 6.62

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 661

$1.80 zł 6.55

20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,117

$3.13 zł 11.42

17.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.05 zł 3.82

7.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.01 zł 3.69

20.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 471

$1.36 zł 4.95

13.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.66 zł 2.42

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,068

$5.48 zł 19.99

23.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,787

$6.84 zł 24.93

-14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.23 zł 4.50

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$1.76 zł 6.43

-1.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$1.10 zł 4.02

16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

$39.51 zł 144

-33.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 993

$2.51 zł 9.14

29.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.02 zł 3.70

10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,855

$12.91 zł 47.07

48.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 532

$1.72 zł 6.26

1.74%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$33.0K zł 120.3K

-21.56%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$31.4K zł 114.4K

-1.95%

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

$145 Ft 44.2K

$270 zł 985

-46.24%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,981

$9.39 zł 34.23

179.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,160

$16.80 zł 61.3

20.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$39.23 zł 143

58.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,733

$22.83 zł 83.2

-3.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,787

$8.22 zł 29.96

11.31%

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

$454 Ft 138.1K

$446 zł 1,626

1.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$13.3K zł 48.5K

-9.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$77.8 zł 284

8.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

$44.83 zł 163

-6.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$99.5 zł 363

-3.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$111 zł 407

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 218.8K

$908 zł 3,310

-20.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.3K

$768 zł 2,799

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

$1,585 zł 5,780

-14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 299.5K

$1,189 zł 4,335

-17.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$5,925 zł 21.6K

1.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$3,808 zł 13.9K

17.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

$1,961 zł 7,151

-6.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

7.77

-9.52%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $908 in Krakow. 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 7% higher in Krakow, 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $55.0 in Krakow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $222 – making Krakow the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Krakow is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $2,607 in Krakow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 51% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $446 in Krakow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Krakow at $1,738. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krakow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krakow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.