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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Budapest vs $919 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,210 per month in Budapest vs $1,374 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,969 per month in Budapest vs $1,829 in Szolnok, rent included.

Budapest costs about 58% more than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szolnok is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 Ft 3,521

$7.97 Ft 2,413

46.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 Ft 17.7K

$40.31 Ft 12.2K

45.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,604

$7.95 Ft 2,404

8.30%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Ft 857

$1.92 Ft 582

47.40%

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

$1.81 Ft 547

$1.40 Ft 424

29.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 410

$1.18 Ft 357

14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 Ft 897

$1.82 Ft 550

62.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Ft 884

$2.32 Ft 702

25.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 385

$0.78 Ft 235

62.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 Ft 504

$1.09 Ft 329

52.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 618

$1.57 Ft 474

29.94%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 955

$2.09 Ft 632

51.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 Ft 2,988

$6.25 Ft 1,892

58.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,868

$5.28 Ft 1,597

16.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 Ft 4,072

$10.69 Ft 3,234

25.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 562

$1.19 Ft 360

56.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 578

$1.51 Ft 457

26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 628

$1.30 Ft 393

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,092

$2.13 Ft 645

69.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 344

$0.87 Ft 262

31.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 368

$0.99 Ft 300

23.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 467

$0.93 Ft 280

65.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.32 Ft 96.4

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 Ft 2,081

$6.21 Ft 1,879

10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 Ft 1,808

$3.99 Ft 1,209

49.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 362

$0.74 Ft 225

62.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 501

$1.08 Ft 328

52.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 Ft 398

$0.94 Ft 285

39.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.92 Ft 7,843

$24.43 Ft 7,390

6.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 978

$2.60 Ft 787

24.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 341

$1.19 Ft 361

-5.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.91 Ft 5,722

$13.66 Ft 4,132

38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 528

$1.74 Ft 527

0.57%

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

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

$17.9K Ft 5.4M

42.24%

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

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

$35.1K Ft 10.6M

-9.96%

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

$145 Ft 44.0K

$102 Ft 30.7K

43.09%

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

$26.44 Ft 8,001

$23.67 Ft 7,161

11.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.87 Ft 6,012

$17.60 Ft 5,324

12.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 Ft 19.3K

$52.0 Ft 15.7K

22.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 6,724

$8.75 Ft 2,649

154.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,750

$7.16 Ft 2,166

26.96%

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

$460 Ft 139.3K

$141 Ft 42.8K

225.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.7M

$3,397 Ft 1.0M

260.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 Ft 26.4K

$55.8 Ft 16.9K

56.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 Ft 12.7K

$27.10 Ft 8,198

55.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 Ft 29.6K

$62.1 Ft 18.8K

57.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 31.4K

$68.4 Ft 20.7K

51.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 Ft 224.8K

$320 Ft 96.9K

131.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 164.3K

$275 Ft 83.1K

97.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 Ft 409.4K

$486 Ft 147.2K

178.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 Ft 295.5K

$388 Ft 117.5K

151.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

$2,123 Ft 642.2K

188.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,404 Ft 1.3M

$1,652 Ft 499.7K

166.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 Ft 544.5K

$1,097 Ft 332.0K

64.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

10.26

-31.48%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 9, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $743 in Budapest versus $320 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 64% 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 $59.0 in Budapest versus $40.00 in Szolnok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $167 – 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 58%, 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 $2,177 per month in Budapest and $1,379 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 6% less in Szolnok. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $460 per month in Budapest and $141 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 $919, than in Budapest at $1,451. 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.