Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Normal, IL and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,269 in Normal, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

111

Cost of Living Index in Normal, IL
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Normal, IL Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Normal, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,269

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,269 per month in Normal, IL vs $1,641 in Budapest, rent included.

Normal, IL $2,269
Budapest $1,641

A couple spends around $3,356 per month in Normal, IL vs $2,562 in Budapest, rent included.

Normal, IL $3,356
Budapest $2,562

A family of three spends $4,443 per month in Normal, IL vs $3,483 in Budapest, rent included.

Normal, IL $4,443
Budapest $3,483

Normal, IL costs about 38% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Normal, IL and Budapest sit above the global median – Normal, IL by 67%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 $11.29

$14.04 Ft 4,536

-19.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

-17.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.37 Ft 3,351

-5.30%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.46 Ft 1,117

48.55%

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

$3.40 $3.40

$2.07 Ft 669

64.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.77 Ft 572

-10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 $5.27

$3.69 Ft 1,191

42.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.08 $6.08

$3.80 Ft 1,229

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.16 Ft 374

-31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.85 Ft 598

42.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.40 Ft 776

34.17%

Eggs

$3.84 $3.84

$3.99 Ft 1,289

-3.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 $8.95

$11.40 Ft 3,683

-21.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.56 $12.56

$6.87 Ft 2,221

82.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.70 $18.70

$14.49 Ft 4,682

29.05%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$1.88 Ft 607

248.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.14 Ft 693

-42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$2.30 Ft 744

184.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$4.04 Ft 1,304

26.49%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.02 Ft 329

232.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$0.99 Ft 320

226.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.58 Ft 510

29.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.70 Ft 225

230.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.32 $11.32

$8.03 Ft 2,594

40.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$6.18 Ft 1,997

77.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.24 Ft 401

47.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.06 Ft 666

46.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.59 Ft 513

61.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.0 $93.0

$27.52 Ft 8,893

237.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 $5.86

$3.43 Ft 1,110

70.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.33 Ft 431

-18.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.21 $18.21

$20.45 Ft 6,607

-10.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.93 Ft 624

-52.85%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

-6.01%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

-23.55%

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

$274 $274

$175 Ft 56.4K

56.94%

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

$97.9 $97.9

$23.62 Ft 7,631

314.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$23.60 Ft 7,625

173.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.78 $39.78

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

-42.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$10.31 Ft 3,333

14.45%

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

$1,055 $1,055

$535 Ft 172.9K

97.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.33 $30.33

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

-69.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.25 $39.25

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

-9.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 $68.4

$112 Ft 36.1K

-38.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$119 Ft 38.4K

28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 $994

$832 Ft 268.8K

19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 $895

$629 Ft 203.3K

42.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 $1,761

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

11.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,624 $1,624

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

35.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,700 $9,700

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

69.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,253 $4,253

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

148.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.45

1.55%

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

Last update for Normal, IL: October 18, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Normal, IL

$895 39.4%

Budapest

$629 38.4% 29.7% $265

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Normal, IL

$436 19.2%

Budapest

$222 13.5% 49.2% $215

Groceries & Markets

Normal, IL

$390 17.2%

Budapest

$262 16% 32.9% $128

Eating Out

Normal, IL

$240 10.6%

Budapest

$226 13.8% 5.7% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Normal, IL

$131 5.8%

Budapest

$168 10.3% 28.5% $37

Getting Around

Normal, IL

$115 5.1%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 61.6% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Normal, IL

$63 2.8%

Budapest

$89 5.5% 41.2% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Normal, IL versus $832 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 148% higher in Normal, IL, 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 $50.0 in Normal, IL versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $390 in Normal, IL vs $262 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Normal, IL

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

22:12 10:12 PM

05:12 5:12 AM

7 h ahead of Normal, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

52,497

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

HUF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Normal, IL Budapest 7,930 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Normal, IL
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

Normal, IL vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Normal, IL is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,404 per month in Normal, IL and $2,461 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 238% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,055 per month in Normal, IL and $535 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 $1,641, than in Normal, IL at $2,269. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Normal, IL 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, Normal, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.