Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pavlodar and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Pavlodar: $732 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

36

Cost of Living Index in Pavlodar
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Pavlodar Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Pavlodar

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$732

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $732 per month in Pavlodar vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Pavlodar $732
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,146 per month in Pavlodar vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Pavlodar $1,146
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,560 per month in Pavlodar vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Pavlodar $1,560
Budapest $3,429

Pavlodar is about 55% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Pavlodar sits 46% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 ₸2,946

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-53.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.93 ₸9,915

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-64.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ₸4,049

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-12.07%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ₸756

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-48.77%

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

$1.19 ₸540

$2.14 Ft 690

-44.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₸216

$1.78 Ft 577

-73.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ₸491

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-70.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₸637

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-62.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 ₸465

$1.15 Ft 371

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₸166

$1.79 Ft 578

-79.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 ₸619

$2.49 Ft 804

-44.98%

Eggs

$1.55 ₸701

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-60.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.30 ₸2,397

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-52.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 ₸2,112

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 ₸3,144

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-52.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 ₸638

$1.83 Ft 591

-22.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₸779

$2.05 Ft 661

-16.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 ₸828

$2.37 Ft 765

-22.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ₸759

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-56.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 ₸406

$0.99 Ft 320

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ₸315

$1.00 Ft 322

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₸314

$0.67 Ft 216

2.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ₸1,094

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-69.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₸3,279

$6.22 Ft 2,009

16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₸593

$1.27 Ft 411

3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₸978

$2.03 Ft 654

6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₸148

$1.52 Ft 490

-78.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ₸664

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-55.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.18 ₸533

$1.37 Ft 442

-13.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 ₸313

$1.82 Ft 589

-62.09%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

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

$26.1K ₸11.8M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-22.88%

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

$66.1 ₸29.9K

$171 Ft 55.3K

-61.39%

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

$11.06 ₸4,999

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-52.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.14 ₸11.8K

$23.29 Ft 7,526

12.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.58 ₸14.3K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-53.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.89 ₸4,923

$18.89 Ft 6,104

-42.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 ₸2,029

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-51.72%

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

$136 ₸61.3K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-74.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,356 ₸2.0M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-74.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.12 ₸11.4K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-42.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 ₸34.3K

$110 Ft 35.7K

-31.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₸45.8K

$119 Ft 38.4K

-14.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ₸126.6K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-66.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 ₸98.6K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-64.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$550 ₸248.8K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-65.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₸197.7K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-62.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,087 ₸491.3K

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-81.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$870 ₸393.3K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-77.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$722 ₸326.4K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-56.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

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

Last update for Pavlodar: October 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pavlodar

$218 29.8%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 185% $404

Groceries & Markets

Pavlodar

$157 * 21.4%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 64.6% $101

Eating Out

Pavlodar

$114 15.6%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 95.6% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pavlodar

$103 14.1%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 111% $115

Clothing & Footwear

Pavlodar

$91 * 12.4%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 84.1% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Pavlodar

$41 5.5%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 112% $46

Getting Around

Pavlodar

$8.7 * 1.2%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 410% $36

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Pavlodar 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 129% 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 $22.00 in Pavlodar versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $157 vs $258 – making Pavlodar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Pavlodar

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

13:10 1:10 PM

09:10 9:10 AM

4 h behind Pavlodar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

334,830

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 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 KZT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Pavlodar Budapest 4,070 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Pavlodar
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

Pavlodar vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 121%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,099 per month in Pavlodar 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 Pavlodar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Pavlodar and $61.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pavlodar, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Pavlodar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pavlodar – 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 Pavlodar. 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.