Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Saint Cloud, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $1,891 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 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
91

Cost of Living Index in Saint Cloud, MN
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Saint Cloud, MN Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Saint Cloud, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$1,891

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Saint Cloud, MN

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 Saint Cloud, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,891 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Saint Cloud, MN $1,891

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,697 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Saint Cloud, MN $2,697

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $3,502 in Saint Cloud, MN, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Saint Cloud, MN $3,502

Budapest is about 14% cheaper than Saint Cloud, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Saint Cloud, MN sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Saint Cloud, MN by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$14.94 $14.94

-6.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$40.42 $40.42

51.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$8.45 $8.45

20.59%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$4.61 $4.61

-29.28%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$2.88 $2.88

-25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$2.17 $2.17

-17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$5.98 $5.98

-37.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$5.09 $5.09

-25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$0.90 $0.90

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.48 $1.48

20.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.90 $1.90

31.05%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$3.79 $3.79

2.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$9.60 $9.60

15.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$6.66 $6.66

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$18.94 $18.94

-22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.71 $3.71

-50.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.09 $1.09

88.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$2.78 $2.78

-14.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$3.49 $3.49

11.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$2.05 $2.05

-51.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$2.94 $2.94

-65.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.94 $1.94

-18.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$2.96 $2.96

-77.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$11.21 $11.21

-28.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$14.71 $14.71

-57.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.70 $1.70

-25.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.04 $3.04

-33.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.70 $1.70

-10.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$61.2 $61.2

-54.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.44 $3.44

-3.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.79 $0.79

73.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$11.76 $11.76

68.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.89 $0.89

104.49%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$30.0K $30.0K

-0.71%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$23.7K $23.7K

42.72%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$122 $122

40.41%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$45.73 $45.73

-48.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$44.69 $44.69

-47.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$24.96 $24.96

170.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$27.73 $27.73

-31.88%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$11.80 $11.80

-21.19%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$1,721 $1,721

-69.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$5,918 $5,918

183.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$56.5 $56.5

76.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$50.3 $50.3

-13.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$72.6 $72.6

52.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$80.3 $80.3

48.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$913 $913

-9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$859 $859

-27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,409 $1,409

13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$1,255 $1,255

-6.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$2,038 $2,038

186.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,772 $1,772

119.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$3,949 $3,949

-58.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.61

-2.42%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Cloud, MN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Saint Cloud, MN

$859 45.4% 38.1% $237

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Saint Cloud, MN

$318 16.8% 23.4% $60

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Saint Cloud, MN

$261 13.8% 16.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Saint Cloud, MN

$212 11.2% 2.6% $5.6

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Saint Cloud, MN

$117 6.2% 30.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Saint Cloud, MN

$49 2.6% 43.6% $38

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Saint Cloud, MN

$75 4% 70.4% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $913 in Saint Cloud, MN. 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 139% higher in Saint Cloud, MN, 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 $40.00 in Saint Cloud, MN. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $318 in Saint Cloud, MN – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇺🇸 Saint Cloud, MN

🕒 Local time

15:26 3:26 PM

08:26 8:26 AM

7 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

67,109

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Saint Cloud, MN 7,800 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Saint Cloud, MN

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 Saint Cloud, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Cloud, MN is pricier by about 17%, 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 $2,836 in Saint Cloud, MN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 118% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $1,721 in Saint Cloud, MN. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Saint Cloud, MN at $1,891. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Cloud, MN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Cloud, MN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.