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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Budapest vs $923 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Budapest vs $1,393 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Budapest vs $1,862 in Szolnok, rent included.

Budapest costs about 56% more than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szolnok is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.54 Ft 3,651

$7.73 Ft 2,446

49.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

$39.96 Ft 12.6K

45.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 Ft 2,812

$7.94 Ft 2,511

11.96%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Ft 863

$1.95 Ft 615

40.00%

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

$1.71 Ft 541

$1.40 Ft 443

22.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 405

$1.14 Ft 359

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Ft 927

$1.92 Ft 606

52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Ft 906

$2.33 Ft 739

23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 382

$0.78 Ft 248

55.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 Ft 557

$1.10 Ft 347

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 657

$1.61 Ft 508

29.19%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 969

$2.21 Ft 698

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 Ft 3,225

$6.27 Ft 1,983

62.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 Ft 1,917

$5.29 Ft 1,674

14.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 Ft 4,233

$10.87 Ft 3,438

23.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 608

$1.19 Ft 376

61.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 600

$1.51 Ft 477

25.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 691

$1.33 Ft 421

63.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 Ft 1,098

$2.09 Ft 660

66.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 354

$0.94 Ft 296

19.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 395

$0.91 Ft 288

37.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 495

$1.00 Ft 316

56.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 183

$0.32 Ft 100

81.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 Ft 2,155

$6.39 Ft 2,022

6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 Ft 1,981

$3.82 Ft 1,208

63.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Ft 381

$0.76 Ft 239

59.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 Ft 529

$1.09 Ft 344

53.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 Ft 420

$1.01 Ft 319

31.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Ft 8,205

$24.23 Ft 7,666

7.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 976

$2.53 Ft 802

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.16 Ft 366

-4.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 Ft 5,906

$13.88 Ft 4,393

34.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 Ft 586

$1.68 Ft 532

10.12%

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

$25.4K Ft 8.1M

$17.9K Ft 5.7M

42.19%

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

$31.5K Ft 10.0M

$34.5K Ft 10.9M

-8.90%

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

$148 Ft 46.8K

$104 Ft 32.9K

42.31%

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

$25.98 Ft 8,220

$24.01 Ft 7,595

8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 Ft 6,398

$17.19 Ft 5,439

17.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 Ft 19.9K

$52.6 Ft 16.6K

19.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 7,034

$8.41 Ft 2,659

164.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,815

$7.27 Ft 2,300

22.42%

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

$464 Ft 146.8K

$143 Ft 45.1K

225.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

257.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 Ft 26.9K

$54.5 Ft 17.2K

56.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.7K

$27.10 Ft 8,573

59.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 Ft 30.2K

$64.5 Ft 20.4K

48.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$68.1 Ft 21.5K

52.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 233.5K

$323 Ft 102.0K

128.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 Ft 176.7K

$275 Ft 86.9K

103.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 Ft 423.0K

$486 Ft 153.9K

174.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 Ft 305.4K

$389 Ft 123.1K

148.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

$2,070 Ft 655.0K

186.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

$1,694 Ft 536.1K

151.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 Ft 547.9K

$1,077 Ft 340.6K

60.85%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $323 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 61% 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 $58.0 in Budapest versus $40.00 in Szolnok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $169 – 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 56%, 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 $2,152 per month in Budapest and $1,384 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 $464 per month in Budapest and $143 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 $923, than in Budapest at $1,435. 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.