Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliky Novgorod and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Veliky Novgorod: $791 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Veliky Novgorod
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Veliky Novgorod Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

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Veliky Novgorod

🇷🇺 Russia

$791

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $791 per month in Veliky Novgorod vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Veliky Novgorod $791
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,322 per month in Veliky Novgorod vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Veliky Novgorod $1,322
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,853 per month in Veliky Novgorod vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Veliky Novgorod $1,853
Budapest $3,429

Veliky Novgorod is about 51% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Veliky Novgorod sits 41% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.52 ₽711

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-38.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.72 ₽3,482

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-31.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ₽439

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-48.38%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ₽175

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-35.58%

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

$0.73 ₽61.0

$2.14 Ft 690

-65.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₽31.26

$1.78 Ft 577

-79.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 ₽86.6

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-71.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₽153

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-51.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₽91.5

$1.15 Ft 371

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 ₽57.7

$1.79 Ft 578

-61.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ₽142

$2.49 Ft 804

-31.73%

Eggs

$1.27 ₽106

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-67.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 ₽891

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ₽521

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-5.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.89 ₽491

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-59.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₽131

$1.83 Ft 591

-14.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₽138

$2.05 Ft 661

-19.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₽137

$2.37 Ft 765

-30.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.18 ₽265

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-18.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ₽56.8

$0.99 Ft 320

-31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₽51.3

$1.00 Ft 322

-38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 ₽105

$1.58 Ft 511

-20.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₽66.5

$0.67 Ft 216

19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₽247

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 ₽492

$6.22 Ft 2,009

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₽61.4

$1.27 Ft 411

-41.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 ₽75.9

$2.03 Ft 654

-55.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽43.84

$1.52 Ft 490

-65.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.40 ₽2,788

$28.02 Ft 9,053

19.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₽152

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-45.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ₽13.85

$1.37 Ft 442

-87.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 ₽292

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 ₽72.5

$1.82 Ft 589

-52.20%

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

$18.1K ₽1.5M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-39.11%

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

$32.1K ₽2.7M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-5.06%

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

$44.70 ₽3,730

$171 Ft 55.3K

-73.88%

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

$5.33 ₽445

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-77.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.84 ₽487

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-74.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.20 ₽2,771

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-50.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.55 ₽1,799

$18.89 Ft 6,104

14.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 ₽440

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-43.33%

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

$635 ₽53.0K

$533 Ft 172.3K

18.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ₽1.4M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.26 ₽2,942

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-64.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.96 ₽2,501

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 ₽8,370

$110 Ft 35.7K

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 ₽5,862

$119 Ft 38.4K

-40.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₽29.7K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-57.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ₽19.9K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-61.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 ₽55.0K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-58.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ₽40.0K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-59.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,713 ₽143.0K

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-70.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,213 ₽101.3K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-68.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$770 ₽64.3K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-53.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

6.45

202.33%

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

Last update for Veliky Novgorod: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Veliky Novgorod

$238 30.1%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 161% $384

Groceries & Markets

Veliky Novgorod

$186 23.5%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 38.7% $72

Eating Out

Veliky Novgorod

$122 15.5%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 82.1% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Veliky Novgorod

$106 13.4%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 58% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Veliky Novgorod

$56 7.1%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 290% $162

Sport & Entertainment

Veliky Novgorod

$44 5.5%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 96.8% $42

Getting Around

Veliky Novgorod

$38 4.8%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 16% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Veliky Novgorod 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 114% 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 $42.00 in Veliky Novgorod versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $258 – making Veliky Novgorod the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Veliky Novgorod

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

10:16 10:16 AM

09:16 9:16 AM

1 h behind Veliky Novgorod

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

223,191

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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Veliky Novgorod Budapest 1,470 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Veliky Novgorod
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

Veliky Novgorod vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 105%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,186 per month in Veliky Novgorod 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 Veliky Novgorod, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Veliky Novgorod. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $635 per month in Veliky Novgorod 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 Veliky Novgorod, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Veliky Novgorod it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Veliky Novgorod – 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 Veliky Novgorod. 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.