Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Rustavi

For one person, living is cheaper in Rustavi: $854 a month against $1,641 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Rustavi
Learn more

Rustavi Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Rustavi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$854

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Rustavi

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

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Budapest vs $854 in Rustavi, rent included.

Budapest $1,641
Rustavi $854

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Budapest vs $1,269 in Rustavi, rent included.

Budapest $2,562
Rustavi $1,269

A family of three spends $3,483 per month in Budapest vs $1,683 in Rustavi, rent included.

Budapest $3,483
Rustavi $1,683

Budapest costs about 92% more than Rustavi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Rustavi is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.04 Ft 4,536

$10.07 ₾26.07

39.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

$30.77 ₾79.7

98.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 Ft 3,351

$10.64 ₾27.55

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Ft 1,117

$2.01 ₾5.21

72.14%

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

$2.07 Ft 669

$0.78 ₾2.02

165.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 Ft 572

$0.55 ₾1.42

221.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 Ft 1,191

$1.27 ₾3.29

190.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Ft 1,229

$1.89 ₾4.89

101.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 Ft 374

$1.80 ₾4.67

-35.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 Ft 598

$0.50 ₾1.30

270.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 Ft 776

$1.26 ₾3.27

90.48%

Eggs

$3.99 Ft 1,289

$2.36 ₾6.12

69.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 Ft 3,683

$5.95 ₾15.40

91.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 Ft 2,221

$4.78 ₾12.37

43.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 Ft 4,682

$10.16 ₾26.31

42.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 Ft 607

$0.99 ₾2.56

89.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 Ft 693

$1.61 ₾4.16

32.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 Ft 744

$1.49 ₾3.86

54.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 Ft 1,304

$1.07 ₾2.78

277.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 329

$0.77 ₾1.99

32.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.66 ₾1.70

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 510

$1.24 ₾3.21

27.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 225

$0.64 ₾1.66

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 Ft 2,594

$3.08 ₾7.97

160.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 Ft 1,997

$3.90 ₾10.08

58.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 401

$1.54 ₾3.98

-19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Ft 666

$2.54 ₾6.58

-18.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 Ft 513

$0.34 ₾0.87

367.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 Ft 8,893

$11.54 ₾29.87

138.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 Ft 1,110

$0.75 ₾1.93

357.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 Ft 431

$0.40 ₾1.04

232.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.45 Ft 6,607

$3.90 ₾10.09

424.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 624

$1.27 ₾3.28

51.97%

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

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

$22.9K ₾59.2K

27.49%

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

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

$9,677 ₾25.1K

258.86%

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

$175 Ft 56.4K

$76.7 ₾198

127.72%

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

$23.62 Ft 7,631

$7.54 ₾19.53

213.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 Ft 7,625

$11.60 ₾30.04

103.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

$27.30 ₾70.7

152.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

$19.67 ₾50.9

-2.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 Ft 3,333

$4.80 ₾12.43

114.79%

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

$535 Ft 172.9K

$131 ₾338

310.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$2,654 ₾6,871

534.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

$56.2 ₾145

77.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

$40.68 ₾105

6.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Ft 36.1K

$94.9 ₾246

17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$86.2 ₾223

38.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 Ft 268.8K

$272 ₾704

205.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 203.3K

$256 ₾664

145.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

$467 ₾1,209

239.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

$310 ₾802

286.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

$1,038 ₾2,686

451.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

$772 ₾1,999

411.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

$443 ₾1,147

286.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

-50.38%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rustavi: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.4%

Rustavi

$256 30% 59.2% $373

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$262 16%

Rustavi

$172 20.2% 34.1% $89

Eating Out

Budapest

$226 13.8%

Rustavi

$152 17.8% 32.8% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$222 13.5%

Rustavi

$96 11.2% 56.8% $126

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.3%

Rustavi

$125 14.6% 25.7% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$89 5.5%

Rustavi

$37 4.3% 58.8% $53

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Rustavi

$16 1.8% 64.4% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Budapest versus $272 in Rustavi. 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 287% 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 $31.00 in Rustavi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $172 – making Rustavi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇬🇪 Rustavi

🕒 Local time

13:33 1:33 PM

15:33 3:33 PM

2 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

132,333

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Rustavi 2,150 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Rustavi

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 Rustavi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 92%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Budapest and $1,282 in Rustavi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 138% less in Rustavi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $535 per month in Budapest and $131 in Rustavi. 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 Rustavi, where all-in costs run around $854, than in Budapest at $1,641. In Rustavi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rustavi – 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 Rustavi. 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.