Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta): $436 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Kolkata (Calcutta)
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Kolkata (Calcutta) Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇮🇳 India

$436

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $436 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $1,647 in Budapest, rent included.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $436
Budapest $1,647

A couple spends around $692 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $2,567 in Budapest, rent included.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $692
Budapest $2,567

A family of three spends $948 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $3,488 in Budapest, rent included.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $948
Budapest $3,488

Kolkata (Calcutta) is about 74% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kolkata (Calcutta) sits 68% below the global median, while Budapest is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 ₹204

$13.63 Ft 4,397

-84.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.07 ₹1,330

$60.7 Ft 19.6K

-76.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ₹392

$10.02 Ft 3,232

-58.58%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₹159

$3.33 Ft 1,073

-49.25%

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

$0.44 ₹41.87

$2.12 Ft 683

-79.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.73

$1.80 Ft 580

-92.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 ₹174

$3.61 Ft 1,163

-48.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₹284

$3.59 Ft 1,157

-16.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹67.7

$1.12 Ft 360

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 ₹43.18

$1.93 Ft 621

-76.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.4

$2.49 Ft 803

-71.08%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹99.9

$3.94 Ft 1,272

-73.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 ₹576

$11.28 Ft 3,638

-46.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 ₹289

$6.73 Ft 2,172

-54.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 Ft 4,659

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 ₹237

$1.86 Ft 600

34.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.4

$2.04 Ft 657

-59.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ₹135

$2.29 Ft 738

-37.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.3

$3.99 Ft 1,288

-83.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₹27.09

$0.94 Ft 303

-69.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.56

$1.02 Ft 330

-53.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 ₹27.94

$1.65 Ft 533

-81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₹24.26

$0.68 Ft 220

-61.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 ₹469

$7.81 Ft 2,521

-36.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 ₹995

$6.02 Ft 1,942

74.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₹165

$1.29 Ft 417

35.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₹266

$2.02 Ft 653

39.11%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$7.06 ₹668

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₹14.78

$1.50 Ft 482

-89.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.21 ₹304

$27.13 Ft 8,750

-88.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 ₹56.1

$3.36 Ft 1,083

-82.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.22

$1.37 Ft 443

-77.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ₹159

$19.96 Ft 6,437

-91.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₹106

$1.86 Ft 602

-39.78%

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

$13.4K ₹1.3M

$28.5K Ft 9.2M

-52.92%

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

$22.7K ₹2.1M

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

-32.06%

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

$51.1 ₹4,833

$178 Ft 57.5K

-71.31%

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

$4.70 ₹445

$23.58 Ft 7,606

-80.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.51 ₹710

$24.12 Ft 7,779

-68.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.88 ₹1,407

$69.7 Ft 22.5K

-78.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 ₹1,173

$17.03 Ft 5,493

-27.13%

Cinema Ticket

$3.10 ₹293

$10.48 Ft 3,381

-70.42%

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

$42.62 ₹4,028

$625 Ft 201.6K

-93.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,792 ₹358.5K

$19.6K Ft 6.3M

-80.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.85 ₹2,349

$102 Ft 32.9K

-75.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.78 ₹2,437

$43.41 Ft 14.0K

-40.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.96 ₹3,210

$110 Ft 35.4K

-69.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.91 ₹2,638

$121 Ft 38.9K

-76.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.4K

$845 Ft 272.7K

-79.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ₹10.1K

$638 Ft 205.9K

-83.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 ₹39.3K

$1,609 Ft 518.9K

-74.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₹22.8K

$1,217 Ft 392.6K

-80.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,072 ₹101.3K

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

-80.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$623 ₹58.9K

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

-84.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$365 ₹34.5K

$1,724 Ft 556.2K

-78.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

41.96%

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): November 1, 2026

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$120 27.6%

Budapest

$260 15.8% 116% $140

Accommodation & Living

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$107 24.6%

Budapest

$638 38.8% 495% $531

Eating Out

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$68 15.5%

Budapest

$220 13.4% 226% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$63 14.5%

Budapest

$226 13.7% 257% $163

Clothing & Footwear

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$51 11.6%

Budapest

$169 10.3% 234% $119

Sport & Entertainment

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$21 4.8%

Budapest

$91 5.5% 330% $70

Getting Around

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$6 1.4%

Budapest

$43 2.6% 625% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $174 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $845 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 in Budapest are about 4.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $61 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $120 vs $260 – making Kolkata (Calcutta) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

02:47 2:47 AM

22:17 10:17 PM

4 h 30 min behind Kolkata (Calcutta)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,486,679

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.58 USD

1,000 INR = 9.42 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 94.53 INR (100 INR = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.42 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 362 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kolkata (Calcutta) Budapest 6,650 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Kolkata (Calcutta)
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

Kolkata (Calcutta) vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 278%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $654 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $2,471 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta), especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $174 there versus $845 in Budapest.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Kolkata (Calcutta). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $43 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $625 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Kolkata (Calcutta), where all-in costs run around $436, than in Budapest at $1,647. In Kolkata (Calcutta) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kolkata (Calcutta) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kolkata (Calcutta). If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.