Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shymkent and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Shymkent: $809 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Shymkent
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Shymkent Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Shymkent

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$809

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $809 per month in Shymkent vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Shymkent $809
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $1,366 per month in Shymkent vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Shymkent $1,366
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $1,924 per month in Shymkent vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Shymkent $1,924
Budapest $3,489

Shymkent is about 50% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Shymkent sits 40% below the global median, while Budapest is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 ₸4,979

$13.99 Ft 4,555

-20.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.96 ₸15.3K

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

-43.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ₸2,915

$9.96 Ft 3,244

-34.94%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ₸1,125

$3.38 Ft 1,102

-26.04%

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

$1.08 ₸486

$2.13 Ft 693

-49.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₸227

$1.87 Ft 609

-73.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ₸478

$3.75 Ft 1,222

-71.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₸583

$3.57 Ft 1,163

-63.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ₸654

$1.13 Ft 369

28.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₸198

$1.84 Ft 600

-76.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 ₸787

$2.39 Ft 777

-26.78%

Eggs

$1.65 ₸743

$3.83 Ft 1,246

-56.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 ₸4,535

$11.33 Ft 3,689

-11.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 ₸2,300

$6.74 Ft 2,194

-24.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 ₸3,787

$14.69 Ft 4,784

-42.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 ₸537

$1.84 Ft 598

-35.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 ₸978

$2.01 Ft 654

7.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 ₸1,101

$2.36 Ft 767

3.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 ₸608

$3.77 Ft 1,227

-64.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₸229

$0.96 Ft 314

-46.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸181

$1.03 Ft 335

-61.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₸416

$1.56 Ft 509

-41.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₸355

$0.66 Ft 216

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.42 ₸1,091

$7.96 Ft 2,594

-69.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.40 ₸1,981

$6.01 Ft 1,956

-26.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₸479

$1.30 Ft 422

-18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ₸682

$2.08 Ft 677

-27.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 ₸68.0

$1.50 Ft 490

-90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₸375

$3.30 Ft 1,075

-74.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₸163

$1.30 Ft 424

-72.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.79 ₸4,408

$19.78 Ft 6,442

-50.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 ₸271

$1.81 Ft 591

-66.85%

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

$27.8K ₸12.5M

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

-5.27%

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

$29.1K ₸13.1M

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-14.81%

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

$47.16 ₸21.2K

$170 Ft 55.3K

-72.25%

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

$9.06 ₸4,078

$23.98 Ft 7,809

-62.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.10 ₸6,799

$23.42 Ft 7,628

-35.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.81 ₸17.5K

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

-41.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.55 ₸3,849

$19.18 Ft 6,245

-55.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.63 ₸2,533

$9.52 Ft 3,101

-40.86%

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

$56.9 ₸25.6K

$537 Ft 174.8K

-89.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.94 ₸16.2K

$101 Ft 33.0K

-64.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.11 ₸14.9K

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-22.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 ₸81.6K

$113 Ft 36.7K

60.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.4 ₸23.1K

$119 Ft 38.7K

-56.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₸149.8K

$805 Ft 262.2K

-58.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₸88.8K

$629 Ft 204.9K

-68.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₸311.9K

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

-55.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 ₸250.3K

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

-52.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 ₸499.1K

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-80.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 ₸439.0K

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-75.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$437 ₸196.9K

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

-73.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.25

6.43

183.83%

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

Last update for Shymkent: October 5, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shymkent

$197 24.9%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 219% $432

Groceries & Markets

Shymkent

$182 23%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 41.8% $76

Eating Out

Shymkent

$152 19.2%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 47.4% $72

Clothing & Footwear

Shymkent

$136 17.2%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 24.6% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shymkent

$71 9%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 205% $146

Sport & Entertainment

Shymkent

$50 6.3%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 70.4% $35

Getting Around

Shymkent

$3.3 * 0.4%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 1236% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $333 in Shymkent versus $805 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 272% 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 $34.00 in Shymkent versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $258 – making Shymkent the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Shymkent

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

09:58 9:58 AM

05:58 5:58 AM

4 h behind Shymkent

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,222,055

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Shymkent Budapest 3,950 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Shymkent
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

Shymkent vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 100%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,213 per month in Shymkent and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shymkent, 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 $34.00 in Shymkent and $60.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 Shymkent, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Shymkent it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shymkent – 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 Shymkent. 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.