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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Krakow vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,487 per month in Krakow vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,236 per month in Krakow vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Krakow costs about 20% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Krakow and Budapest sit above the global median – Krakow by 30%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 zł 38.87

$11.49 Ft 3,498

-7.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 zł 201

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

-2.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 zł 33.92

$8.66 Ft 2,636

7.39%

Cappuccino

$4.03 zł 14.71

$2.77 Ft 842

45.49%

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

$2.22 zł 8.08

$1.80 Ft 548

23.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 zł 8.10

$1.33 Ft 406

66.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.03 zł 14.70

$2.81 Ft 857

43.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 zł 15.16

$2.79 Ft 851

49.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 zł 4.01

$1.21 Ft 367

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.27

$1.74 Ft 528

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 zł 5.37

$2.08 Ft 635

-29.33%

Eggs

$3.75 zł 13.67

$3.10 Ft 945

20.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 zł 33.00

$9.95 Ft 3,029

-9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 zł 23.23

$6.33 Ft 1,926

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.55 zł 42.12

$13.33 Ft 4,060

-13.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.55

$1.85 Ft 564

-32.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.62

$1.91 Ft 581

-5.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.55

$2.17 Ft 661

-17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 zł 11.42

$3.67 Ft 1,117

-14.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 zł 3.82

$1.13 Ft 344

-7.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.69

$1.22 Ft 370

-17.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 4.95

$1.55 Ft 471

-12.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.42

$0.53 Ft 162

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 zł 19.99

$6.79 Ft 2,068

-19.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.84 zł 24.93

$5.87 Ft 1,787

16.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.50

$1.22 Ft 370

0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.43

$1.73 Ft 526

1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.02

$1.28 Ft 391

-14.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.51 zł 144

$26.14 Ft 7,959

51.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.14

$3.26 Ft 993

-23.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 zł 3.70

$1.13 Ft 344

-9.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.91 zł 47.07

$19.23 Ft 5,855

-32.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 zł 6.26

$1.75 Ft 532

-1.71%

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

$33.0K zł 120.3K

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

27.48%

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

$31.4K zł 114.4K

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

1.99%

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

$270 zł 985

$145 Ft 44.2K

86.00%

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

$9.39 zł 34.23

$26.21 Ft 7,981

-64.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 zł 61.3

$20.23 Ft 6,160

-16.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 zł 143

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

-36.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 zł 83.2

$22.11 Ft 6,733

3.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 zł 29.96

$9.15 Ft 2,787

-10.16%

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

$446 zł 1,626

$454 Ft 138.1K

-1.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K zł 48.5K

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 zł 284

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

-8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 zł 163

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 zł 363

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

3.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 407

$107 Ft 32.5K

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 zł 3,310

$719 Ft 218.8K

26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 zł 2,799

$553 Ft 168.3K

38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 zł 5,780

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

16.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 zł 4,335

$984 Ft 299.5K

20.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,925 zł 21.6K

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

-1.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,808 zł 13.9K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-14.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,961 zł 7,151

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

6.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

7.03

10.53%

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

Last update for Krakow: June 2, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $908 in Krakow versus $719 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 7% 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 $55.0 in Krakow versus $57.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $239 – 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 20%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,607 per month in Krakow and $2,175 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 51% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $446 per month in Krakow and $454 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Krakow at $1,738. 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.