Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Zanjan

For one person, living is cheaper in Zanjan: $425 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 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
21

Cost of Living Index in Zanjan
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Zanjan Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Zanjan

🇮🇷 Iran

$425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Zanjan

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $425 in Zanjan, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Zanjan $425

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $764 in Zanjan, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Zanjan $764

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,103 in Zanjan, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Zanjan $1,103

Budapest costs about 281% more than Zanjan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Zanjan is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$2.91 $2.91

379.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$13.05 $13.05

369.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$3.02 $3.02

237.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 $0.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$0.94 $0.94

246.81%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.49 $0.49

336.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$1.13 $1.13

57.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$0.71 $0.71

61.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.53 $0.53

237.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$3.18 $3.18

-21.70%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.24 $1.24

214.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$4.47 $4.47

148.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$3.30 $3.30

100.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$8.86 $8.86

65.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.03 $1.03

77.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.54 $1.54

33.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$0.80 $0.80

196.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$0.46 $0.46

747.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.53 $0.53

86.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.51 $0.51

96.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.44 $0.44

259.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.26 $0.26

157.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.72 $0.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$1.79 $1.79

344.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.19 $0.19

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$10.09 $10.09

177.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.29 $0.29

1041.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.29 $0.29

372.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$0.97 $0.97

1944.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.03 $0.03

5966.67%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$50.9K $50.9K

-41.43%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$44.9K $44.9K

-24.76%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$13.12 $13.12

1204.27%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$1.57 $1.57

1397.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$3.77 $3.77

517.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$12.38 $12.38

445.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$12.44 $12.44

51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$1.98 $1.98

369.70%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$107 $107

400.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$2,578 $2,578

550.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$26.26 $26.26

279.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$37.86 $37.86

14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$118 $118

-6.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$75.3 $75.3

57.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$132 $132

527.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$98.1 $98.1

534.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$389 $389

309.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$315 $315

272.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$803 $803

626.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$464 $464

738.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$292 $292

466.41%

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 Zanjan: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Zanjan

$98 23.1% 84.2% $524

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Zanjan

$114 26.8% 55.8% $144

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Zanjan

$50 11.8% 77.5% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Zanjan

$18 4.3% 91.5% $199

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Zanjan

$116 27.2% 31% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Zanjan

$16 3.8% 81% $70

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Zanjan

$13 3% 71.6% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $132 in Zanjan. 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 466% 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 $13.00 in Zanjan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $114 – making Zanjan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇷 Zanjan

🕒 Local time

09:40 9:40 AM

11:10 11:10 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

386,851

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

USD exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Zanjan 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

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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 Zanjan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 281%, 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 $638 in Zanjan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 178% less in Zanjan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $107 in Zanjan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zanjan, where all-in costs run around $425, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Zanjan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zanjan – 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 Zanjan. 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.