Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kostanay and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Kostanay: $958 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Kostanay
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Kostanay Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Kostanay

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$958

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $958 per month in Kostanay vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Kostanay $958
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,445 per month in Kostanay vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Kostanay $1,445
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,932 per month in Kostanay vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Kostanay $1,932
Budapest $3,429

Kostanay is about 41% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kostanay sits 29% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 ₸2,452

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-61.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.19 ₸13.2K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-52.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 ₸3,223

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-30.03%

Cappuccino

$2.20 ₸992

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-32.52%

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

$1.13 ₸509

$2.14 Ft 690

-47.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₸413

$1.78 Ft 577

-48.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ₸644

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₸1,212

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-28.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ₸570

$1.15 Ft 371

9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₸240

$1.79 Ft 578

-70.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₸483

$2.49 Ft 804

-57.03%

Eggs

$2.18 ₸988

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-44.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 ₸4,732

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.93 ₸2,682

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.35 ₸3,774

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-43.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 ₸713

$1.83 Ft 591

-13.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 ₸1,033

$2.05 Ft 661

11.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₸835

$2.37 Ft 765

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 ₸1,040

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-41.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸264

$0.99 Ft 320

-41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₸294

$1.00 Ft 322

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₸544

$1.58 Ft 511

-24.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₸404

$0.67 Ft 216

32.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ₸1,131

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-68.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.16 ₸3,689

$6.22 Ft 2,009

31.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₸496

$1.27 Ft 411

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₸1,025

$2.03 Ft 654

11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₸155

$1.52 Ft 490

-77.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 ₸403

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-73.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ₸492

$1.37 Ft 442

-20.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.84 ₸2,641

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-70.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 ₸288

$1.82 Ft 589

-64.84%

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

$30.8K ₸13.9M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

3.21%

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

$30.7K ₸13.9M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-9.09%

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

$78.5 ₸35.5K

$171 Ft 55.3K

-54.11%

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

$11.07 ₸5,005

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-52.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.05 ₸7,253

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-31.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.87 ₸21.6K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-29.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 ₸9,167

$18.89 Ft 6,104

7.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 ₸1,900

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-54.84%

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

$213 ₸96.1K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-60.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,512 ₸2.9M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-61.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.6 ₸42.7K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-5.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 ₸24.6K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

25.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 ₸50.1K

$110 Ft 35.7K

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 ₸41.5K

$119 Ft 38.4K

-22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₸177.9K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-52.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 ₸142.9K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-49.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 ₸271.0K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-62.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₸217.2K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-58.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,183 ₸534.7K

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-79.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$929 ₸420.0K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-76.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 ₸297.3K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-60.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

6.45

186.82%

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

Last update for Kostanay: October 10, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Kostanay

$316 33%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 96.8% $306

Groceries & Markets

Kostanay

$202 21.1%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 27.4% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Kostanay

$158 16.5%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 6% $9.5

Eating Out

Kostanay

$112 11.7%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 99.5% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kostanay

$106 11%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 106% $112

Sport & Entertainment

Kostanay

$56 5.9%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 53% $30

Getting Around

Kostanay

$7.7 * 0.8%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 474% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Kostanay 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 151% 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 $29.00 in Kostanay versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $258 – making Kostanay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Kostanay

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

01:25 1:25 AM

21:25 9:25 PM

4 h behind Kostanay

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

264,446

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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Kostanay Budapest 3,170 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Kostanay
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

Kostanay vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 69%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,437 per month in Kostanay 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 Kostanay, 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 $29.00 in Kostanay 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 27% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostanay, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Kostanay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kostanay – 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 Kostanay. 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.