Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ulyanovsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulyanovsk: $886 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Ulyanovsk
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Ulyanovsk Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Ulyanovsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$886

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Ulyanovsk

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $886 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Ulyanovsk $886

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,363 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Ulyanovsk $1,363

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,840 in Ulyanovsk, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Ulyanovsk $1,840

Budapest costs about 83% more than Ulyanovsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Ulyanovsk is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$8.26 ₽690

68.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$29.69 ₽2,478

106.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$6.32 ₽528

61.23%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.27 ₽190

43.61%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.90 ₽75.3

137.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.35 ₽29.18

408.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$1.81 ₽151

104.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$1.94 ₽162

94.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.02 ₽85.4

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.58 ₽48.04

208.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.04 ₽86.5

139.42%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.40 ₽117

178.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$14.19 ₽1,184

-21.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$7.26 ₽606

-8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$7.26 ₽606

102.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.52 ₽127

20.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.51 ₽126

35.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$3.91 ₽326

-39.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$4.60 ₽384

-15.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.46 ₽122

-32.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.82 ₽68.3

21.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.56 ₽46.50

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.04 ₽254

161.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.09 ₽90.9

16.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.43 ₽36.28

253.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.53 ₽294

-6.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$3.64 ₽304

444.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.83 ₽68.9

119.28%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$26.0K ₽2.2M

30.13%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$139 ₽11.6K

23.22%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$4.73 ₽395

397.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$13.72 ₽1,145

69.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$36.45 ₽3,042

85.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$24.86 ₽2,075

-24.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$8.30 ₽693

12.05%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$30.11 ₽2,513

230.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$35.99 ₽3,004

20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$94.4 ₽7,875

16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$59.3 ₽4,951

100.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$360 ₽30.0K

130.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$241 ₽20.1K

158.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$469 ₽39.1K

240.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$423 ₽35.3K

176.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$2,609 ₽217.8K

123.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,463 ₽122.1K

165.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$504 ₽42.1K

227.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

-71.96%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ulyanovsk: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Ulyanovsk

$241 27.2% 61.3% $381

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Ulyanovsk

$200 * 22.6% 22.5% $58

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Ulyanovsk

$130 14.7% 41.6% $93

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Ulyanovsk

$157 17.8% 27.8% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Ulyanovsk

$99 11.2% 41% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Ulyanovsk

$53 6% 38.4% $33

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Ulyanovsk

$5.3 * 0.6% 88.1% $39

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $360 in Ulyanovsk. 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 227% 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 $30.00 in Ulyanovsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $200 – making Ulyanovsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇷🇺 Ulyanovsk

🕒 Local time

11:29 11:29 AM

13:29 1:29 PM

2 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

627,705

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Ulyanovsk 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Ulyanovsk

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 Ulyanovsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,328 in Ulyanovsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $30.00 in Ulyanovsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulyanovsk, where all-in costs run around $886, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Ulyanovsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulyanovsk – 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 Ulyanovsk. 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.