Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Pyongyang

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyongyang: $426 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
12

Cost of Living Index in Pyongyang
Learn more

Pyongyang Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Pyongyang

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $426 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Pyongyang $426

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $696 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Pyongyang $696

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $965 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Pyongyang $965

Budapest costs about 281% more than Pyongyang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Pyongyang is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

$4.93 $4.93

183.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

$36.47 $36.47

65.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$21.96 $21.96

-54.64%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

$1.13 $1.13

199.12%

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

$2.13 Ft 693

$2.19 $2.19

-2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

$1.28 $1.28

46.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$13.69 $13.69

-72.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

$4.83 $4.83

-26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$0.92 $0.92

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

$2.37 $2.37

-22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$0.91 $0.91

162.64%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$2.08 $2.08

84.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

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

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$75.9 $75.9

-12.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

$91.0 $91.0

785.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

$89.7 $89.7

601.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

$135 $135

765.61%

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 529.5K

$250 $250

549.05%

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 Pyongyang: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Pyongyang

$90 21.3% 85.7% $540

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Pyongyang

$45 * 10.7% 82.6% $213

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Pyongyang

$211 50% 6% $13

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Pyongyang

$76 * 18% 11% $9.4

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Pyongyang

- * 0% 100%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $91.0 in Pyongyang. 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 549% 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 $60.0 in Budapest versus $36.00 in Pyongyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $45.00 – making Pyongyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🕒 Local time

10:14 10:14 AM

17:14 5:14 PM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

3,255,288 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Pyongyang 7,980 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

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Pyongyang

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 Pyongyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 281%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $639 in Pyongyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 474% 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 $36.00 in Pyongyang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pyongyang, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Pyongyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pyongyang – 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 Pyongyang. 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.