Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ekibastuz and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Ekibastuz: $837 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Ekibastuz
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Ekibastuz Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

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Ekibastuz

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$837

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ekibastuz and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ekibastuz and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $837 per month in Ekibastuz vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Ekibastuz $837
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,347 per month in Ekibastuz vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Ekibastuz $1,347
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,856 per month in Ekibastuz vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Ekibastuz $1,856
Budapest $3,429

Ekibastuz is about 48% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ekibastuz sits 38% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 ₸4,910

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-22.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.29 ₸16.9K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-39.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 ₸3,595

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-21.98%

Cappuccino

$1.53 ₸692

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-53.07%

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

$1.12 ₸507

$2.14 Ft 690

-47.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₸285

$1.78 Ft 577

-64.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 ₸590

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-64.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₸997

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-41.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ₸599

$1.15 Ft 371

14.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 ₸275

$1.79 Ft 578

-65.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₸732

$2.49 Ft 804

-34.94%

Eggs

$2.16 ₸976

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-44.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 ₸5,564

$11.10 Ft 3,587

10.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.94 ₸2,687

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-10.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ₸4,865

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-26.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₸814

$1.83 Ft 591

-1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ₸1,023

$2.05 Ft 661

10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ₸1,006

$2.37 Ft 765

-6.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 ₸1,001

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-43.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₸296

$0.99 Ft 320

-34.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₸209

$1.00 Ft 322

-54.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 ₸695

$1.58 Ft 511

-2.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₸429

$0.67 Ft 216

41.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 ₸984

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-72.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 ₸5,047

$6.22 Ft 2,009

79.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₸592

$1.27 Ft 411

3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₸1,054

$2.03 Ft 654

14.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₸114

$1.52 Ft 490

-83.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₸510

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-65.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ₸514

$1.37 Ft 442

-16.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 ₸2,930

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-67.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 ₸272

$1.82 Ft 589

-67.03%

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

$24.5K ₸11.1M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-17.84%

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

$30.1K ₸13.6M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-10.86%

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

$68.3 ₸30.9K

$171 Ft 55.3K

-60.11%

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

$10.31 ₸4,659

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-56.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.78 ₸8,036

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-23.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ₸2,844

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-32.37%

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

$378 ₸170.9K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ₸5.3M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-30.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.3 ₸29.1K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-35.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.03 ₸21.3K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₸54.0K

$110 Ft 35.7K

8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₸59.2K

$119 Ft 38.4K

10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₸111.8K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-70.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₸81.7K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-70.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₸203.4K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-71.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ₸150.2K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-71.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$337 ₸152.3K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-79.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.5

6.45

140.31%

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

Last update for Ekibastuz: October 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ekibastuz

$230 27.5%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 12.2% $28

Accommodation & Living

Ekibastuz

$181 21.6%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 244% $441

Clothing & Footwear

Ekibastuz

$163 19.5%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 2.9% $4.7

Eating Out

Ekibastuz

$147 17.6%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 51.6% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ekibastuz

$96 11.5%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 126% $122

Sport & Entertainment

Ekibastuz

$13 * 1.5%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 585% $74

Getting Around

Ekibastuz

$7.8 * 0.9%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 465% $36

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $247 in Ekibastuz versus $830 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 390% 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 $37.00 in Ekibastuz versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $258 – making Ekibastuz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Ekibastuz

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

09:10 9:10 AM

4 h behind Ekibastuz

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,760

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

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 to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ekibastuz Budapest 3,980 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Ekibastuz
Budapest

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

Ekibastuz vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,256 per month in Ekibastuz and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Ekibastuz and $61.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ekibastuz, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Ekibastuz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ekibastuz – 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 Ekibastuz. 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.