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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,773 per month in Krakow vs $1,463 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,539 per month in Krakow vs $2,209 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Krakow vs $2,955 in Budapest, rent included.

Krakow costs about 21% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Krakow and Budapest sit above the global median – Krakow by 33%, Budapest by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.43

$11.48 Ft 3,648

-4.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

-4.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.25

$8.73 Ft 2,775

9.39%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.11

$2.85 Ft 906

39.65%

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

$2.21 zł 8.41

$1.74 Ft 552

27.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.60

$1.31 Ft 416

72.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.81

$2.80 Ft 888

48.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.35

$2.93 Ft 932

37.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.40

$1.27 Ft 403

-8.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.75 Ft 556

-17.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$2.11 Ft 672

-30.81%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.69

$3.16 Ft 1,004

14.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.11

$9.91 Ft 3,148

-9.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.71

$6.32 Ft 2,008

3.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.73

$13.58 Ft 4,315

-15.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.91 Ft 606

-34.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.62

$2.00 Ft 635

-13.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.84

$2.15 Ft 684

-16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.51

$3.59 Ft 1,140

-15.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$1.12 Ft 357

-8.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.21 Ft 383

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.95

$1.54 Ft 490

-15.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.55 Ft 173

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.21

$6.79 Ft 2,158

-17.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.47

$5.78 Ft 1,837

11.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.68

$1.20 Ft 381

2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.45

$1.65 Ft 525

3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$1.27 Ft 404

-12.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$25.94 Ft 8,244

51.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.54

$3.26 Ft 1,035

-23.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$1.12 Ft 356

-11.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.48

$19.21 Ft 6,105

-32.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.43

$1.76 Ft 560

-3.98%

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

$33.1K zł 125.8K

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

26.04%

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

$32.5K zł 123.3K

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

5.87%

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

$278 zł 1,057

$144 Ft 45.6K

93.87%

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

$9.20 zł 34.93

$26.33 Ft 8,367

-65.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 63.0

$20.06 Ft 6,375

-17.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

-39.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.4

$21.87 Ft 6,949

1.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.57

$8.90 Ft 2,828

-9.55%

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

$437 zł 1,658

$450 Ft 143.1K

-3.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

6.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

-9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

6.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

2.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 429

$104 Ft 32.9K

9.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,433

$715 Ft 227.2K

26.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,876

$560 Ft 178.0K

35.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,079

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

19.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,383

$971 Ft 308.5K

18.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

-5.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

-13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,153

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

7.57%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $904 in Krakow versus $715 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 8% 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 $56.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $241 – 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 21%, 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 $2,660 per month in Krakow and $2,194 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 52% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Krakow and $450 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 $1,463, than in Krakow at $1,773. 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.