Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Great Falls, MT and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,207 in Great Falls, MT, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Great Falls, MT
🇺🇸 United States
$2,207
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,621
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Great Falls, MT 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 Great Falls, MT and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,207 per month in Great Falls, MT vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Great Falls, MT $2,207
  • Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $3,040 per month in Great Falls, MT vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Great Falls, MT $3,040
  • Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $3,874 per month in Great Falls, MT vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Great Falls, MT $3,874
  • Budapest $3,489

Great Falls, MT costs about 36% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Great Falls, MT and Budapest sit above the global median – Great Falls, MT by 65%, Budapest by 21%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.33 $11.33
$13.99 Ft 4,551
-19.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.38 $37.38
$60.3 Ft 19.6K
-38.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 $9.47
$9.96 Ft 3,241
-4.92%
Cappuccino
$4.20 $4.20
$3.38 Ft 1,100
24.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$2.13 Ft 692
7.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$1.87 Ft 608
10.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.95 $5.95
$3.75 Ft 1,221
58.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.07 $6.07
$3.57 Ft 1,162
70.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.08 $1.08
$1.13 Ft 368
-4.42%
White Bread (500g)
$3.33 $3.33
$1.84 Ft 599
80.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.87 $4.87
$2.39 Ft 777
103.77%
Eggs
$3.24 $3.24
$3.83 Ft 1,245
-15.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.85 $16.85
$11.33 Ft 3,686
48.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.82 $9.82
$6.74 Ft 2,192
45.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.92 $11.92
$14.69 Ft 4,780
-18.86%
Apples (1kg)
$4.76 $4.76
$1.84 Ft 597
158.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$2.01 Ft 653
-30.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.25 $4.25
$2.36 Ft 767
80.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$3.77 Ft 1,226
-40.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 $2.42
$0.96 Ft 313
152.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.03 Ft 334
176.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.40 $2.40
$1.56 Ft 509
53.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.37 $3.37
$0.66 Ft 216
410.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.30 $8.30
$7.96 Ft 2,591
4.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.20 $18.20
$6.01 Ft 1,954
202.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.30 Ft 421
55.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 $4.63
$2.08 Ft 676
122.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.50 Ft 489
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.86 $29.86
$27.61 Ft 8,982
8.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.17 $6.17
$3.30 Ft 1,074
86.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 $1.34
$1.30 Ft 424
3.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.76 $40.76
$19.78 Ft 6,436
106.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.81 Ft 591
-49.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.0K $33.0K
$29.3K Ft 9.5M
12.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$34.1K Ft 11.1M
-25.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 $133
$170 Ft 55.3K
-21.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.87 $39.87
$23.98 Ft 7,802
66.26%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$23.42 Ft 7,621
201.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.8 $63.8
$66.2 Ft 21.6K
-3.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.18 Ft 6,239
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.41 $11.41
$9.52 Ft 3,098
19.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$925 $925
$537 Ft 174.6K
72.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.8K $13.8K
$16.6K Ft 5.4M
-17.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.45 $25.45
$101 Ft 33.0K
-74.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.02 $30.02
$42.99 Ft 14.0K
-30.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$81.2 $81.2
$113 Ft 36.7K
-27.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.0 $64.0
$119 Ft 38.6K
-46.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,405 $1,405
$805 Ft 262.0K
74.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,123 $1,123
$629 Ft 204.7K
78.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,691 $2,691
$1,549 Ft 504.1K
73.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,669 $1,669
$1,167 Ft 379.7K
43.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,115 $2,115
$5,618 Ft 1.8M
-62.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,120 $2,120
$3,968 Ft 1.3M
-46.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Great Falls, MT
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,503 $3,503
$1,626 Ft 529.0K
115.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.2
6.43
-3.58%

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

Last update for Great Falls, MT: October 4, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Great Falls, MT
$1.1K
Budapest
$629 44% $494
Groceries & Markets
Great Falls, MT
$391
Budapest
$258 34.1% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Great Falls, MT
$243
Budapest
$217 10.7% $26
Eating Out
Great Falls, MT
$229
Budapest
$224 1.9% $4.4
Clothing & Footwear
Great Falls, MT
$90
Budapest
$169 87.3% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Great Falls, MT
$87
Budapest
$85 1.6% $1.4
Getting Around
Great Falls, MT
$43 *
Budapest
$43 1.6% $0.7

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,405 in Great Falls, MT versus $805 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 115% higher in Great Falls, MT, 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 Great Falls, MT versus $60.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $391 in Great Falls, MT vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Great Falls, MT
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
22:07 10:07 PM
06:07 6:07 AM
8 h ahead of Great Falls, MT
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
60,442
1,686,222 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Great Falls, MT Budapest 8,410 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Great Falls, MT
  • 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
Great Falls, MT vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budapest cheaper than Great Falls, MT?
Yes – Great Falls, MT is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,310 per month in Great Falls, MT and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 8% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $925 per month in Great Falls, MT and $537 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Great Falls, MT or in Budapest?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Great Falls, MT at $2,207. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Great Falls, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Great Falls, MT or Budapest more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Great Falls, MT or Budapest?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Great Falls, MT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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