Cost of Living Comparison Between Bydgoszcz and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Bydgoszcz and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,474 per month in Bydgoszcz vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,272 per month in Bydgoszcz vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Bydgoszcz vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Bydgoszcz costs about 2% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Bydgoszcz and Budapest sit above the global median – Bydgoszcz by 10%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 zł 42.62

$11.49 Ft 3,504

1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 zł 246

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

18.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 zł 29.04

$8.66 Ft 2,641

-7.97%

Cappuccino

$4.00 zł 14.57

$2.77 Ft 844

44.40%

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

$2.33 zł 8.49

$1.80 Ft 548

29.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 6.84

$1.33 Ft 407

41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 zł 14.42

$2.81 Ft 858

40.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 zł 14.05

$2.79 Ft 852

37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 3.91

$1.21 Ft 368

-11.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 zł 5.48

$1.74 Ft 529

-13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 zł 6.41

$2.08 Ft 636

-15.38%

Eggs

$3.38 zł 12.31

$3.10 Ft 947

9.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 zł 37.78

$9.95 Ft 3,034

4.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 zł 25.59

$6.33 Ft 1,930

10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 zł 52.8

$13.33 Ft 4,066

8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 zł 4.92

$1.85 Ft 565

-27.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 zł 5.89

$1.91 Ft 582

-15.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 zł 5.97

$2.17 Ft 662

-24.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 zł 15.52

$3.67 Ft 1,119

16.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 zł 3.38

$1.13 Ft 344

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 zł 4.28

$1.22 Ft 371

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 zł 4.76

$1.55 Ft 472

-15.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 zł 2.44

$0.53 Ft 163

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 zł 18.33

$6.79 Ft 2,072

-25.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 zł 31.67

$5.87 Ft 1,790

48.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 zł 4.04

$1.22 Ft 371

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 zł 5.80

$1.73 Ft 527

-8.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 zł 3.85

$1.28 Ft 391

-17.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.74 zł 105

$26.14 Ft 7,972

9.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 zł 8.03

$3.26 Ft 994

-32.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 zł 2.60

$1.13 Ft 344

-37.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.67 zł 38.91

$19.23 Ft 5,865

-44.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.24

$1.75 Ft 533

-2.29%

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

$33.2K zł 121.1K

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

28.36%

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

$31.6K zł 115.2K

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

2.73%

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

$232 zł 845

$145 Ft 44.3K

59.67%

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

$8.68 zł 31.63

$26.21 Ft 7,995

-66.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 zł 62.5

$20.23 Ft 6,170

-15.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.10 zł 139

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

-38.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.55 zł 74.9

$22.11 Ft 6,744

-7.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 zł 28.74

$9.15 Ft 2,791

-13.88%

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

$451 zł 1,644

$454 Ft 138.4K

-0.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,504 zł 20.1K

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

-54.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.7 zł 356

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

15.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 zł 139

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

-8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 zł 402

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 zł 466

$107 Ft 32.5K

19.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 zł 2,567

$719 Ft 219.2K

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 zł 1,820

$553 Ft 168.6K

-9.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 zł 4,374

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

-11.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$896 zł 3,266

$984 Ft 300.0K

-8.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,080 zł 11.2K

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

-49.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,294 zł 8,362

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-48.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 zł 5,824

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

-12.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

7.03

-8.96%

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

Last update for Bydgoszcz: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $704 in Bydgoszcz versus $719 in Budapest. 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 15% higher in Budapest, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Bydgoszcz versus $57.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $239 – making Budapest 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

Bydgoszcz vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bydgoszcz is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,211 per month in Bydgoszcz and $2,175 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 10% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $451 per month in Bydgoszcz and $454 in Budapest. 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 Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Bydgoszcz at $1,474. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bydgoszcz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bydgoszcz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.