Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szolnok and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Szolnok: $1,106 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Szolnok
Learn more

Szolnok Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
Learn more

Bucharest Living Index

Jump to prices

Szolnok

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,106

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szolnok and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Szolnok and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,106 in Szolnok versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Szolnok $1,106
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,692 in Szolnok versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Szolnok $1,692
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,278 in Szolnok versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Szolnok $2,278
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Szolnok costs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Szolnok 18% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.60 Ft 3,101

$14.49 RON 68.6

-33.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 Ft 15.1K

$58.1 RON 275

-19.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 Ft 2,585

$7.48 RON 35.40

6.95%

Cappuccino

$2.30 Ft 741

$3.44 RON 16.29

-33.14%

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

$2.01 Ft 648

$2.37 RON 11.22

-15.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 Ft 386

$2.30 RON 10.88

-48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 Ft 823

$3.70 RON 17.51

-31.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 Ft 864

$4.16 RON 19.69

-35.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 Ft 297

$1.67 RON 7.90

-44.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 Ft 399

$1.37 RON 6.50

-9.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 Ft 523

$1.72 RON 8.14

-5.81%

Eggs

$3.08 Ft 994

$3.64 RON 17.22

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 Ft 2,356

$9.08 RON 42.98

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 Ft 2,132

$6.84 RON 32.35

-3.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.28 Ft 4,291

$12.00 RON 56.8

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 Ft 464

$1.23 RON 5.80

17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 Ft 562

$1.63 RON 7.73

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 Ft 492

$1.57 RON 7.45

-3.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 Ft 744

$2.54 RON 12.01

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 Ft 220

$0.79 RON 3.75

-13.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 Ft 236

$0.77 RON 3.66

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Ft 330

$0.87 RON 4.13

17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 Ft 120

$0.99 RON 4.70

-62.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 Ft 2,211

$6.31 RON 29.86

8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.62 Ft 1,168

$6.20 RON 29.34

-41.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 Ft 286

$1.19 RON 5.63

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 420

$1.57 RON 7.45

-17.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 Ft 342

$0.86 RON 4.08

23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.01 Ft 8,402

$21.10 RON 99.8

23.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 Ft 912

$0.64 RON 3.05

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 Ft 724

$0.60 RON 2.86

273.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.84 Ft 4,794

$6.43 RON 30.43

130.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 588

$1.96 RON 9.25

-7.14%

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

$27.5K Ft 8.9M

$29.0K RON 137.2K

-5.22%

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

$36.6K Ft 11.8M

$26.6K RON 126.0K

37.52%

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

$128 Ft 41.3K

$196 RON 927

-34.68%

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

$29.81 Ft 9,631

$8.04 RON 38.04

270.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.14 Ft 7,152

$9.35 RON 44.21

136.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.80 Ft 13.5K

$50.2 RON 238

-16.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.06 Ft 5,835

$25.33 RON 120

-28.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.37 Ft 1,088

$8.15 RON 38.55

-58.65%

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

$151 Ft 48.8K

$628 RON 2,971

-75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,944 Ft 1.6M

$14.1K RON 66.6K

-64.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.0 Ft 26.2K

$89.6 RON 424

-9.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 Ft 16.2K

$38.32 RON 181

31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Ft 28.6K

$79.3 RON 375

11.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 Ft 37.6K

$90.4 RON 428

28.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 Ft 128.1K

$678 RON 3,209

-41.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 Ft 105.5K

$448 RON 2,121

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 Ft 201.9K

$1,083 RON 5,125

-42.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 Ft 162.9K

$725 RON 3,430

-30.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 Ft 650.4K

$3,751 RON 17.7K

-46.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,598 Ft 516.2K

$2,195 RON 10.4K

-27.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,059 Ft 342.1K

$1,329 RON 6,290

-20.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

6.75

13.93%

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

Last update for Szolnok: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Szolnok

$327 29.5%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 37.3% $122

Groceries & Markets

Szolnok

$197 17.8%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 14.5% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Szolnok

$180 16.3%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 18.6% $33

Eating Out

Szolnok

$159 14.4%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 41.4% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Szolnok

$151 13.7%

Bucharest

$134 10% 11.5% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Szolnok

$49 4.4%

Bucharest

$67 5% 37.1% $18

Getting Around

Szolnok

$44 4%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 36.3% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $397 in Szolnok and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 26% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Szolnok vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $225 per month, with Szolnok cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Szolnok

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

02:26 2:26 AM

03:26 3:26 AM

1 h ahead of Szolnok

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,426

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Szolnok Bucharest 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Szolnok
Bucharest

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

Szolnok vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szolnok and Bucharest differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,106 vs $1,340 including rent). Szolnok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Bucharest. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $397 in Szolnok versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,106 per month in Szolnok versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szolnok runs roughly 23% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,106 in Szolnok versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Szolnok but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Szolnok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Szolnok and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Szolnok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.