Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kardzhali and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Kardzhali: $653 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Kardzhali
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Kardzhali Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Kardzhali

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$653

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $653 per month in Kardzhali vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Kardzhali $653
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,071 per month in Kardzhali vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Kardzhali $1,071
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,489 per month in Kardzhali vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Kardzhali $1,489
Budapest $3,429

Kardzhali is about 60% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Kardzhali sits 52% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.22 BGN 19.52

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-19.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.74 BGN 39.57

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-62.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 BGN 15.75

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-11.19%

Cappuccino

$1.11 BGN 1.92

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-65.95%

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

$1.04 BGN 1.80

$2.14 Ft 690

-51.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.21

$1.78 Ft 577

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 BGN 2.82

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-56.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 BGN 2.31

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-64.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BGN 2.85

$1.15 Ft 371

42.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 BGN 1.29

$1.79 Ft 578

-58.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 BGN 2.49

$2.49 Ft 804

-42.57%

Eggs

$2.81 BGN 4.89

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-27.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 BGN 17.68

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-8.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 BGN 9.75

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-15.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.74 BGN 11.73

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-54.12%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 BGN 1.56

$1.83 Ft 591

-50.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.55

$2.05 Ft 661

-0.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.35

$2.37 Ft 765

-18.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.71

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-45.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 BGN 1.13

$0.99 Ft 320

-34.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 BGN 2.22

$1.00 Ft 322

27.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 BGN 1.26

$1.58 Ft 511

-54.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.39

$0.67 Ft 216

19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.59 BGN 6.25

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-54.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.56 BGN 7.94

$6.22 Ft 2,009

-26.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BGN 1.83

$1.27 Ft 411

-17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BGN 2.46

$2.03 Ft 654

-30.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 BGN 0.95

$1.52 Ft 490

-64.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.13 BGN 19.36

$28.02 Ft 9,053

-60.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 BGN 2.94

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 BGN 1.23

$1.37 Ft 442

-48.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 BGN 9.83

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-71.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 BGN 2.97

$1.82 Ft 589

-6.59%

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

$29.7K BGN 51.7K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-0.27%

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

$22.4K BGN 39.0K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-33.74%

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

$60.9 BGN 106

$171 Ft 55.3K

-64.39%

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

$5.73 BGN 9.97

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-75.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.65 BGN 13.30

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-67.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.14 BGN 40.26

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-65.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 BGN 14.67

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-9.35%

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

$230 BGN 401

$533 Ft 172.3K

-56.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K BGN 25.2K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-13.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.87 BGN 39.79

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-77.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.49 BGN 21.73

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-71.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.07 BGN 78.4

$110 Ft 35.7K

-59.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 BGN 130

$119 Ft 38.4K

-36.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 BGN 198

$830 Ft 268.3K

-86.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 BGN 198

$622 Ft 200.9K

-81.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 BGN 396

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-85.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 BGN 479

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-76.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,145 BGN 1,993

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-80.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$858 BGN 1,493

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-77.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,281 BGN 2,229

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-22.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

6.45

-49.61%

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

Last update for Kardzhali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kardzhali

$189 28.9%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 36.6% $69

Eating Out

Kardzhali

$148 22.6%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 50.8% $75

Accommodation & Living

Kardzhali

$114 17.5%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 445% $508

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kardzhali

$74 11.4%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 193% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Kardzhali

$70 10.7%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 140% $98

Sport & Entertainment

Kardzhali

$40 6.1%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 115% $46

Getting Around

Kardzhali

$19 2.8%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 139% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Kardzhali 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 29% 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 $23.00 in Kardzhali versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $258 – making Kardzhali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Kardzhali

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

16:11 4:11 PM

15:11 3:11 PM

1 h behind Kardzhali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,421

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 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 BGN in detail →

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Kardzhali Budapest 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Kardzhali
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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

Kardzhali vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 148%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $980 per month in Kardzhali 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 Kardzhali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 152% less in Kardzhali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $230 per month in Kardzhali and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kardzhali, where all-in costs run around $653, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Kardzhali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kardzhali – 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 Kardzhali. 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.