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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $926 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,378 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $1,831 in Szolnok, rent included.

Budapest costs about 55% more than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Szolnok is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,571

$8.00 Ft 2,487

43.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.1K

$39.93 Ft 12.4K

45.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,678

$7.89 Ft 2,453

9.13%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 863

$2.01 Ft 626

38.31%

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

$1.73 Ft 538

$1.47 Ft 457

17.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 415

$1.13 Ft 351

18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 876

$1.85 Ft 575

52.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 888

$2.24 Ft 695

27.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$0.83 Ft 258

48.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 519

$1.04 Ft 324

60.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 634

$1.54 Ft 479

32.47%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 952

$2.21 Ft 686

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,180

$6.20 Ft 1,928

65.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,973

$5.06 Ft 1,572

25.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,164

$10.87 Ft 3,380

23.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.13 Ft 351

69.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 597

$1.54 Ft 479

24.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 677

$1.34 Ft 416

62.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,126

$2.13 Ft 661

69.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 350

$0.93 Ft 288

20.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 376

$0.93 Ft 288

30.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 460

$1.00 Ft 312

48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.35 Ft 108

65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,038

$6.17 Ft 1,918

6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,784

$3.95 Ft 1,229

45.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 356

$0.76 Ft 238

51.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 515

$1.13 Ft 352

46.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 396

$0.96 Ft 298

32.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,171

$24.64 Ft 7,659

6.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 973

$2.53 Ft 787

23.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 345

$1.15 Ft 359

-3.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,888

$13.94 Ft 4,334

35.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 554

$1.72 Ft 535

3.49%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$18.1K Ft 5.6M

42.09%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$34.7K Ft 10.8M

-12.27%

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

$148 Ft 46.0K

$102 Ft 31.7K

44.99%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,287

$24.11 Ft 7,496

10.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,206

$17.32 Ft 5,385

15.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$52.0 Ft 16.1K

22.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,815

$8.85 Ft 2,750

147.68%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,716

$7.14 Ft 2,220

22.41%

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

$463 Ft 144.0K

$145 Ft 45.1K

219.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$3,402 Ft 1.1M

257.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.7K

$55.0 Ft 17.1K

56.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.4K

$27.31 Ft 8,491

58.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.7K

$63.6 Ft 19.8K

50.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.3K

$68.0 Ft 21.1K

52.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 228.6K

$329 Ft 102.1K

123.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.0K

$272 Ft 84.6K

105.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 421.1K

$473 Ft 147.2K

186.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 302.3K

$386 Ft 120.1K

151.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.8M

$1,992 Ft 619.1K

198.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$1,589 Ft 493.8K

164.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 539.8K

$1,054 Ft 327.7K

64.72%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $329 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 65% 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 $58 in Budapest versus $40 in Szolnok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $168 – 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 55%, 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 $2,157 per month in Budapest and $1,388 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 $463 per month in Budapest and $145 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 $926, than in Budapest at $1,438. 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.