Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szolnok Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szolnok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,666 per month in Budapest vs $1,128 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,657 per month in Budapest vs $1,754 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,649 per month in Budapest vs $2,379 in Szolnok, rent included.

Budapest costs about 48% more than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 22% above the global median, while Szolnok is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.41 Ft 4,583

$10.07 Ft 3,205

43.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$47.72 Ft 15.2K

32.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 Ft 3,567

$8.44 Ft 2,684

32.82%

Cappuccino

$3.56 Ft 1,131

$2.43 Ft 774

46.50%

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

$2.16 Ft 687

$1.98 Ft 631

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Ft 639

$1.29 Ft 410

55.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 Ft 1,223

$2.62 Ft 832

46.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 Ft 1,220

$2.89 Ft 920

32.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Ft 397

$0.92 Ft 294

35.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Ft 595

$1.28 Ft 406

46.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 Ft 811

$1.60 Ft 509

59.37%

Eggs

$4.10 Ft 1,305

$3.29 Ft 1,045

24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 Ft 3,796

$7.68 Ft 2,444

55.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 Ft 2,188

$6.64 Ft 2,111

3.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 Ft 4,868

$13.63 Ft 4,336

12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$1.55 Ft 494

29.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 Ft 696

$1.85 Ft 589

18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 802

$1.56 Ft 498

61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 Ft 1,317

$2.49 Ft 793

66.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 318

$0.67 Ft 212

49.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 327

$0.74 Ft 234

39.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 Ft 532

$1.07 Ft 339

56.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 222

$0.36 Ft 114

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 Ft 2,602

$7.12 Ft 2,264

14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 Ft 2,006

$3.68 Ft 1,172

71.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 417

$0.96 Ft 306

36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 Ft 670

$1.30 Ft 413

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 Ft 498

$1.05 Ft 334

49.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 Ft 8,951

$26.38 Ft 8,391

6.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 Ft 1,113

$2.96 Ft 940

18.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 Ft 431

$2.31 Ft 734

-41.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.69 Ft 6,581

$15.42 Ft 4,904

34.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 617

$1.86 Ft 592

4.30%

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

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

$28.3K Ft 9.0M

11.44%

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

$34.6K Ft 11.0M

$38.4K Ft 12.2M

-9.79%

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

$174 Ft 55.4K

$130 Ft 41.4K

33.63%

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

$25.89 Ft 8,235

$29.76 Ft 9,466

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 Ft 7,781

$23.16 Ft 7,366

5.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 Ft 22.3K

$42.60 Ft 13.6K

64.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.50 Ft 6,204

$18.82 Ft 5,988

3.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.59 Ft 3,051

$3.41 Ft 1,085

181.23%

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

$555 Ft 176.5K

$161 Ft 51.2K

244.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K Ft 5.6M

$4,981 Ft 1.6M

250.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 Ft 33.4K

$86.6 Ft 27.5K

21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 Ft 13.9K

$51.5 Ft 16.4K

-14.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Ft 37.3K

$92.5 Ft 29.4K

26.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 38.6K

$122 Ft 38.9K

-0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Ft 273.6K

$417 Ft 132.7K

106.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 Ft 208.4K

$334 Ft 106.3K

96.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 Ft 537.7K

$659 Ft 209.7K

156.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 Ft 401.5K

$523 Ft 166.4K

141.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 Ft 1.9M

$2,117 Ft 673.3K

177.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

$1,705 Ft 542.5K

135.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 Ft 551.8K

$1,082 Ft 344.3K

60.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

7.69

-14.69%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 13, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Budapest versus $417 in Szolnok. 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 60% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $48.00 in Szolnok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $203 – making Szolnok the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Szolnok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,499 per month in Budapest and $1,692 in Szolnok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Szolnok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Budapest and $161 in Szolnok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szolnok, where all-in costs run around $1,128, than in Budapest at $1,666. In Szolnok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szolnok – 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 Szolnok. 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.