Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Novokuznetsk and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Novokuznetsk: $1,382 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

67

Cost of Living Index in Novokuznetsk
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Novokuznetsk Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Novokuznetsk

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,382

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,382 per month in Novokuznetsk vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Novokuznetsk $1,382
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $2,238 per month in Novokuznetsk vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Novokuznetsk $2,238
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $3,093 per month in Novokuznetsk vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Novokuznetsk $3,093
Budapest $3,429

Novokuznetsk is about 15% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Novokuznetsk and Budapest sit above the global median – Novokuznetsk by 2%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.84 ₽988

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-15.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 ₽4,901

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-4.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 ₽559

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-34.35%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₽209

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-23.01%

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

$2.04 ₽170

$2.14 Ft 690

-4.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₽95.4

$1.78 Ft 577

-35.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 ₽342

$3.71 Ft 1,198

10.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 ₽486

$3.77 Ft 1,217

54.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ₽117

$1.15 Ft 371

22.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₽67.4

$1.79 Ft 578

-54.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₽114

$2.49 Ft 804

-44.98%

Eggs

$1.57 ₽131

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-59.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 ₽715

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-22.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 ₽576

$6.62 Ft 2,139

4.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.35 ₽780

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-36.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₽167

$1.83 Ft 591

9.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ₽189

$2.05 Ft 661

10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ₽193

$2.37 Ft 765

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 ₽334

$3.90 Ft 1,260

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₽72.9

$0.99 Ft 320

-12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₽49.07

$1.00 Ft 322

-41.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ₽121

$1.58 Ft 511

-8.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₽56.3

$0.67 Ft 216

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 ₽305

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-54.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 ₽493

$6.22 Ft 2,009

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₽150

$1.27 Ft 411

41.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₽222

$2.03 Ft 654

30.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₽47.78

$1.52 Ft 490

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 ₽2,500

$28.02 Ft 9,053

6.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 ₽145

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-47.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ₽48.43

$1.37 Ft 442

-57.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 ₽68.1

$1.82 Ft 589

-54.95%

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

$32.5K ₽2.7M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

9.21%

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

$33.8K ₽2.8M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

0.11%

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

$221 ₽18.4K

$171 Ft 55.3K

29.18%

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

$4.98 ₽415

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-78.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.36 ₽531

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-72.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 ₽4,225

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.86 ₽2,325

$18.89 Ft 6,104

47.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 ₽611

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-21.29%

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

$673 ₽56.2K

$533 Ft 172.3K

26.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ₽1.5M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

3.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$140 ₽11.7K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

40.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.2 ₽7,029

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

93.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ₽15.1K

$110 Ft 35.7K

64.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$364 ₽30.4K

$119 Ft 38.4K

206.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 ₽37.7K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-45.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 ₽24.4K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-52.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ₽79.7K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-40.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 ₽56.0K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-42.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,205 ₽184.1K

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-62.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 ₽123.4K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-61.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$561 ₽46.9K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-66.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.75

6.45

252.71%

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

Last update for Novokuznetsk: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Clothing & Footwear

Novokuznetsk

$346 25.1%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 51.6% $179

Accommodation & Living

Novokuznetsk

$293 21.2%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 113% $329

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Novokuznetsk

$232 16.8%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 6.2% $14

Groceries & Markets

Novokuznetsk

$219 15.8%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 17.9% $39

Eating Out

Novokuznetsk

$190 13.7%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 17.5% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Novokuznetsk

$65 4.7%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 31.9% $21

Getting Around

Novokuznetsk

$37 2.7%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 20% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $452 in Novokuznetsk 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 194% 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 $59.0 in Novokuznetsk versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $258 – making Novokuznetsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Novokuznetsk

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

14:22 2:22 PM

09:22 9:22 AM

5 h behind Novokuznetsk

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

544,583

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 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 RUB in detail →

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Novokuznetsk Budapest 4,670 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Novokuznetsk vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 17%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,073 per month in Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Novokuznetsk. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $673 per month in Novokuznetsk and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Novokuznetsk, where all-in costs run around $1,382, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Novokuznetsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novokuznetsk – 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 Novokuznetsk. 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.