Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Targoviste

For one person, living is cheaper in Targoviste: $954 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Targoviste
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Targoviste Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Targoviste

🇷🇴 Romania

$954

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Targoviste

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 Targoviste actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $954 in Targoviste, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Targoviste $954

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,368 in Targoviste, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Targoviste $1,368

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,783 in Targoviste, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Targoviste $1,783

Budapest costs about 70% more than Targoviste, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Targoviste is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$7.17 RON 33.94

94.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$25.49 RON 121

140.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$6.49 RON 30.69

57.01%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.04 RON 9.65

59.80%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.41 RON 6.67

51.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$1.32 RON 6.27

34.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$2.12 RON 10.05

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$2.76 RON 13.08

36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.33 RON 6.28

-13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.83 RON 3.91

115.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.38 RON 6.52

80.43%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.50 RON 11.81

56.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$3.09 RON 14.63

259.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$6.16 RON 29.13

7.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$11.34 RON 53.7

29.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.02 RON 4.83

79.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.43 RON 6.75

43.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$1.41 RON 6.68

68.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.79 RON 8.48

117.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.78 RON 3.71

26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.83 RON 3.95

20.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.73 RON 3.43

116.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.77 RON 3.65

-12.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$5.77 RON 27.32

37.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$5.34 RON 25.25

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.13 RON 5.37

12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.52 RON 7.21

33.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.43 RON 2.05

253.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$21.65 RON 102

29.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.75 RON 3.56

341.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.65 RON 3.06

110.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$6.11 RON 28.92

224.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.54 RON 7.28

18.18%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$28.2K RON 133.2K

5.84%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$26.1K RON 123.7K

29.33%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$215 RON 1,016

-20.31%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$7.50 RON 35.46

213.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$8.61 RON 40.75

170.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$21.23 RON 100

218.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$19.99 RON 94.6

-5.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$3.19 RON 15.10

191.54%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$312 RON 1,475

71.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$8,157 RON 38.6K

105.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$62.8 RON 297

58.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$31.65 RON 150

37.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$51.5 RON 244

114.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$72.8 RON 345

63.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$355 RON 1,681

133.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$266 RON 1,258

133.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$452 RON 2,136

252.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$402 RON 1,900

191.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,820 RON 8,611

220.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,340 RON 6,338

190.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$885 RON 4,185

86.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.84

-5.70%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Targoviste: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Targoviste

$266 27.9% 57.2% $356

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Targoviste

$175 18.4% 32.2% $83

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Targoviste

$128 13.5% 42.4% $95

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Targoviste

$231 24.2% 5.9% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Targoviste

$98 10.3% 41.2% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Targoviste

$28 2.9% 67.9% $59

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Targoviste

$27 2.9% 38.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $355 in Targoviste. 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 87% 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $25.00 in Targoviste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $175 – making Targoviste the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇷🇴 Targoviste

🕒 Local time

22:47 10:47 PM

23:47 11:47 PM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

79,610

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Targoviste 570 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

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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 Targoviste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,430 in Targoviste. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 29% less in Targoviste. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $312 in Targoviste. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Targoviste, where all-in costs run around $954, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Targoviste it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Targoviste – 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 Targoviste. 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.