Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Miskolc Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Miskolc

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,077 in Miskolc, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,673 in Miskolc, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,269 in Miskolc, rent included.

Budapest costs about 35% more than Miskolc, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Miskolc is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,498

$8.81 Ft 2,684

30.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$42.35 Ft 12.9K

34.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,636

$8.58 Ft 2,611

0.93%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 842

$2.03 Ft 619

36.45%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$1.47 Ft 449

22.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 406

$1.19 Ft 362

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 857

$1.90 Ft 577

47.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 851

$2.32 Ft 706

20.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 367

$1.01 Ft 306

19.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 528

$1.60 Ft 486

8.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 635

$1.91 Ft 581

8.90%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 945

$2.67 Ft 814

16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,029

$9.38 Ft 2,855

6.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,926

$6.19 Ft 1,884

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,060

$12.63 Ft 3,844

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 564

$1.68 Ft 511

10.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 581

$1.89 Ft 576

1.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 661

$1.80 Ft 549

20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,117

$3.27 Ft 996

12.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.09 Ft 332

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.43 Ft 435

-14.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 471

$1.58 Ft 482

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.57 Ft 172

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,068

$7.01 Ft 2,134

-3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,787

$6.44 Ft 1,961

-8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.16 Ft 353

5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$1.70 Ft 518

1.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$1.27 Ft 387

0.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

$25.85 Ft 7,871

1.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 993

$2.52 Ft 768

29.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.02 Ft 310

10.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,855

$13.54 Ft 4,123

42.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 532

$1.68 Ft 511

4.17%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$24.2K Ft 7.4M

6.80%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$33.8K Ft 10.3M

-9.07%

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

$145 Ft 44.2K

$198 Ft 60.3K

-26.65%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,981

$26.56 Ft 8,088

-1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,160

$19.48 Ft 5,930

3.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$49.54 Ft 15.1K

25.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,733

$14.31 Ft 4,357

54.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,787

$7.38 Ft 2,248

23.98%

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

$454 Ft 138.1K

$327 Ft 99.7K

38.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$3,481 Ft 1.1M

247.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$55.7 Ft 17.0K

51.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

$27.22 Ft 8,288

53.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$63.9 Ft 19.5K

49.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$66.4 Ft 20.2K

60.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 218.8K

$381 Ft 116.0K

88.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.3K

$289 Ft 88.1K

91.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

$598 Ft 182.0K

126.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 299.5K

$500 Ft 152.2K

96.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$2,329 Ft 709.0K

159.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$1,906 Ft 580.3K

134.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

$1,294 Ft 394.0K

41.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

7.5

-6.27%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Miskolc: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $381 in Miskolc. 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 42% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $42.00 in Miskolc. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $226 – making Miskolc 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 Miskolc: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,615 in Miskolc. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1% less in Miskolc. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $327 in Miskolc. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Miskolc, where all-in costs run around $1,077, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Miskolc it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Miskolc – 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 Miskolc. 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.