Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Piatra Neamt

For one person, living is cheaper in Piatra Neamt: $783 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Piatra Neamt
Learn more

Piatra Neamt Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Piatra Neamt

🇷🇴 Romania

$783

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Piatra Neamt

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $783 in Piatra Neamt, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Piatra Neamt $783

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,190 in Piatra Neamt, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Piatra Neamt $1,190

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,598 in Piatra Neamt, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Piatra Neamt $1,598

Budapest costs about 107% more than Piatra Neamt, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Piatra Neamt is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$8.75 RON 41.38

59.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$32.69 RON 155

87.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$7.26 RON 34.37

40.36%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.25 RON 10.66

44.89%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.43 RON 6.76

49.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$1.22 RON 5.79

45.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$1.89 RON 8.95

96.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$2.32 RON 10.98

62.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.38 RON 6.55

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.97 RON 4.58

84.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.38 RON 6.53

80.43%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.87 RON 13.57

35.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$8.16 RON 38.59

36.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$5.63 RON 26.65

17.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$9.37 RON 44.32

56.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$0.92 RON 4.37

98.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.30 RON 6.15

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$1.19 RON 5.65

99.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.81 RON 8.57

115.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.60 RON 2.85

65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.53 RON 2.51

88.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.80 RON 3.79

97.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.72 RON 3.39

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$5.61 RON 26.56

41.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$4.64 RON 21.96

34.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$0.91 RON 4.30

39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.14 RON 5.38

78.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.60 RON 2.86

153.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.87 RON 4.11

280.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.82 RON 3.86

67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$7.41 RON 35.06

167.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.52 RON 7.21

19.74%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$29.0K RON 137.0K

2.92%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$25.3K RON 119.6K

33.76%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$99.8 RON 472

71.45%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$6.94 RON 32.83

238.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$5.74 RON 27.17

305.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$31.94 RON 151

111.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$8.53 RON 40.36

121.45%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$5.70 RON 26.95

63.16%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$1,334 RON 6,310

-60.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$52.7 RON 249

88.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$30.02 RON 142

44.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$75.8 RON 359

45.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$76.5 RON 362

55.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$287 RON 1,359

189.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$192 RON 908

224.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$414 RON 1,960

284.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$261 RON 1,234

348.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$2,332 RON 11.0K

150.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,859 RON 8,793

109.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$1,334 RON 6,312

23.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.63

-2.71%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Piatra Neamt: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Piatra Neamt

$192 24.5% 69.1% $430

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Piatra Neamt

$178 22.8% 30.9% $80

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Piatra Neamt

$144 18.3% 35.6% $79

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Piatra Neamt

$113 14.4% 48.4% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Piatra Neamt

$106 13.5% 36.9% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Piatra Neamt

$43 5.5% 49.7% $43

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Piatra Neamt

$7.4 * 0.9% 83.4% $37

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 $287 in Piatra Neamt. 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 24% 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 $33.00 in Piatra Neamt. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $178 – making Piatra Neamt the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇷🇴 Piatra Neamt

🕒 Local time

12:42 12:42 PM

13:42 1:42 PM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

85,055

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, 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).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Piatra Neamt 560 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Piatra Neamt

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 Piatra Neamt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 107%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,174 in Piatra Neamt. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Piatra Neamt, 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 $33.00 in Piatra Neamt. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 Piatra Neamt, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Piatra Neamt it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Piatra Neamt – 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 Piatra Neamt. 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.