CostTrek

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Budapest vs Minneapolis

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Budapest, HU vs Minneapolis, MN at a glance — Minneapolis, MN is 55% more expensive than Budapest, HU overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,450/mo versus $700/mo. Top income tax: 37% vs 15%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Minneapolis, MN, you'd need

$115,878 / year

Minneapolis, MN is 55% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Minneapolis, MN vs Budapest, HU)

  • Housing+68%
  • Food & groceries+49%
  • Transport+106%
  • Utilities+1%
  • Healthcare+91%
  • Goods & services+43%

◎ How Budapest, HU and Minneapolis, MN compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Budapest, HUMinneapolis, MN

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Budapest, HUMinneapolis, MN
Cost of living
Overall cost index67104
Housing65109
Food68101
Transport50103
Utilities9596
Healthcare55105
Goods & services72103
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$700/mo$1,450/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$520/mo$1,150/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,350/mo$2,600/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,200$3,800
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,484$960
Inexpensive meal$8$18
Monthly transit pass$30$96
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)15%37%
VAT / sales tax27%0%
Social security (employee)—7.7%
Corporate tax9%21%
Capital gains—20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$900/mo$4,300/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$39,145✓$86,977✓
Minimum wage$1,050/mo✓$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$23,320✓$90,027✓
Inflation (annual)3.7%✓—
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaYesNo
English proficiencyModerateNative
Coworking spaces4040
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-6
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6765
Safety index7255
Healthcare index6082
Pollution index5035
Internet speed200 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability8070
Public transport8258
Family-friendly6570
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance—$450/mo
Life expectancy77 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceLowHigh
Climate
January avg0 °C-8 °C
July avg+22 °C+23 °C
Sunny days / year200198
Rainfall / year520 mm800 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: Hungary vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Budapest vs Minneapolis — in your currency

BudapestMinneapolis
1-bed rent, city centre$700$1,450
1-bed rent, outside centre$520$1,150
Inexpensive meal$8$18
Monthly transit pass$30$96
Utilities (monthly)$190$160

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Budapest

Grand Habsburg boulevards, thermal baths and ruin bars split by the Danube — one of the EU's best-value capitals, with a flat 15% tax and the White Card pulling in a fast-growing nomad crowd.

Currency
Hungarian forint (Ft HUF)
Languages
Hungarian
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
72/100
Climate
❄ 0°C · ☀ 22°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
F · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
District VII · District V · District XIII · Buda Hills

Good to know before you move to Minneapolis

High quality of life, strong jobs and lakes everywhere — winters are seriously cold.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ -8°C · ☀ 23°C · 198 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
North Loop · Uptown · Northeast

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Budapest to Minneapolis: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Budapest to Minneapolis, your cost of living will be roughly 55% more expensive. Minneapolis’s cost-of-living index is 104 versus 67 for Budapest (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Budapest cheaper than Minneapolis?

Minneapolis is about 55% more expensive than Budapest overall — its cost-of-living index is 104 versus 67 for Budapest.

Which is more expensive, Budapest or Minneapolis?

Minneapolis is more expensive than Budapest. Its cost-of-living index is 104 vs 67 (US = 100) — about 55% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Budapest or Minneapolis?

Rent is cheaper in Budapest — about $700/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,450 in Minneapolis.

How much do you need to earn in Minneapolis to live like in Budapest?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Budapest is worth about $115,878 in Minneapolis. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Budapest or Minneapolis?

Hungary has the lower top income-tax rate — 15% versus 37% in United States.

◷ More comparisons from Budapest

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.