Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Pavlodar

For one person, living is cheaper in Pavlodar: $732 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Pavlodar
Learn more

Pavlodar Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Pavlodar

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$732

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Pavlodar

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $732 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Pavlodar $732

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,146 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Pavlodar $1,146

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,560 in Pavlodar, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Pavlodar $1,560

Budapest costs about 121% more than Pavlodar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Pavlodar is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$6.52 ₸2,946

113.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$21.93 ₸9,915

179.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$8.96 ₸4,049

13.73%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$1.67 ₸756

95.21%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.19 ₸540

79.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.48 ₸216

270.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$1.09 ₸491

240.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$1.41 ₸637

167.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.03 ₸465

11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.37 ₸166

383.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.37 ₸619

81.75%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.55 ₸701

151.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$5.30 ₸2,397

109.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$4.67 ₸2,112

41.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$6.95 ₸3,144

111.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.41 ₸638

29.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.72 ₸779

19.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$1.83 ₸828

29.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.68 ₸759

132.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.90 ₸406

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.70 ₸315

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.69 ₸314

-2.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$2.42 ₸1,094

228.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$7.25 ₸3,279

-14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.31 ₸593

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$2.16 ₸978

-6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.33 ₸148

360.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$1.47 ₸664

125.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.18 ₸533

16.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.69 ₸313

163.77%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$26.1K ₸11.8M

29.67%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$66.1 ₸29.9K

159.00%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$11.06 ₸4,999

112.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$26.14 ₸11.8K

-10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$31.58 ₸14.3K

113.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$10.89 ₸4,923

73.46%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$4.49 ₸2,029

107.13%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$136 ₸61.3K

293.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$4,356 ₸2.0M

284.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$25.12 ₸11.4K

73.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$75.9 ₸34.3K

45.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$101 ₸45.8K

17.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$280 ₸126.6K

196.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$218 ₸98.6K

185.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$550 ₸248.8K

189.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$437 ₸197.7K

167.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,087 ₸491.3K

436.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$870 ₸393.3K

347.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$722 ₸326.4K

128.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pavlodar: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Pavlodar

$218 29.8% 64.9% $404

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Pavlodar

$157 * 21.4% 39.2% $101

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Pavlodar

$114 15.6% 48.9% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Pavlodar

$103 14.1% 52.6% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Pavlodar

$91 * 12.4% 45.7% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Pavlodar

$41 5.5% 52.9% $46

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Pavlodar

$8.7 * 1.2% 80.4% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $280 in Pavlodar. 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 129% 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 $22.00 in Pavlodar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $157 – making Pavlodar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇰🇿 Pavlodar

🕒 Local time

10:41 10:41 AM

14:41 2:41 PM

4 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

334,830

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, 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).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Pavlodar 4,070 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Pavlodar

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 Pavlodar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 121%, 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 $1,099 in Pavlodar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $22.00 in Pavlodar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pavlodar, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Pavlodar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pavlodar – 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 Pavlodar. 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.