Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,943 per month in Krakow vs $1,721 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Krakow vs $2,708 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,580 per month in Krakow vs $3,695 in Budapest, rent included.

Krakow costs about 13% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Krakow and Budapest sit above the global median – Krakow by 41%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.82 zł 47.88

$14.35 Ft 4,551

-10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 zł 202

$63.4 Ft 20.1K

-14.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.65 zł 36.04

$11.23 Ft 3,560

-14.07%

Cappuccino

$4.51 zł 16.83

$3.40 Ft 1,078

32.65%

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

$2.60 zł 9.72

$2.14 Ft 680

21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 zł 9.40

$2.03 Ft 644

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 zł 18.30

$3.74 Ft 1,185

31.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 zł 15.90

$3.79 Ft 1,202

12.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 zł 4.38

$1.23 Ft 389

-4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 zł 6.02

$1.91 Ft 605

-15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.80

$2.58 Ft 819

-29.46%

Eggs

$4.10 zł 15.32

$4.14 Ft 1,311

-0.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 zł 35.78

$12.43 Ft 3,942

-22.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.04 zł 30.05

$6.90 Ft 2,187

16.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.67 zł 51.1

$15.36 Ft 4,869

-11.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 zł 5.24

$2.07 Ft 657

-32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.67

$2.17 Ft 689

-17.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.68

$2.49 Ft 791

-28.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.25 zł 12.13

$4.11 Ft 1,302

-20.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.56

$1.03 Ft 328

-7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.88

$1.00 Ft 316

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 zł 4.97

$1.59 Ft 504

-16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 zł 3.12

$0.68 Ft 216

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 zł 24.20

$8.39 Ft 2,659

-22.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.56 zł 24.52

$6.38 Ft 2,022

2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 zł 4.75

$1.33 Ft 422

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 zł 6.38

$2.25 Ft 714

-24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 zł 5.91

$1.58 Ft 500

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.11 zł 131

$28.78 Ft 9,126

21.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 zł 8.88

$3.57 Ft 1,132

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 zł 4.10

$1.43 Ft 454

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.44 zł 46.47

$20.58 Ft 6,527

-39.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 zł 6.10

$1.87 Ft 593

-12.83%

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

$32.7K zł 122.2K

$31.8K Ft 10.1M

2.87%

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

$29.8K zł 111.3K

$35.9K Ft 11.4M

-17.14%

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

$335 zł 1,252

$173 Ft 55.0K

93.17%

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

$9.40 zł 35.13

$25.97 Ft 8,235

-63.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.31 zł 72.2

$25.25 Ft 8,006

-23.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.25 zł 177

$71.7 Ft 22.7K

-34.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.50 zł 99.0

$19.20 Ft 6,089

38.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 zł 33.45

$9.76 Ft 3,096

-8.30%

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

$476 zł 1,779

$577 Ft 182.9K

-17.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K zł 38.6K

$17.7K Ft 5.6M

-41.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 zł 379

$107 Ft 33.9K

-4.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 zł 156

$44.23 Ft 14.0K

-5.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 zł 346

$116 Ft 36.9K

-20.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 zł 476

$120 Ft 38.2K

5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 zł 3,665

$858 Ft 272.2K

14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 zł 2,948

$671 Ft 212.8K

17.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 zł 5,624

$1,672 Ft 530.1K

-9.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 zł 4,353

$1,295 Ft 410.8K

-10.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,819 zł 21.7K

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

-4.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,745 zł 14.0K

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

-10.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 zł 7,264

$1,709 Ft 541.8K

13.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.68

-0.60%

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

Last update for Krakow: August 30, 2026

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Krakow versus $858 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 14% higher in Krakow, 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 $54.0 in Krakow versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $274 – making Krakow the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Krakow vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Krakow is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,914 per month in Krakow and $2,581 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Krakow and $577 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,721, than in Krakow at $1,943. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krakow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krakow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.