Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,759 in Amherst, MA, rent and utilities included – about $13,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,759

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Amherst, MA versus $1,619 in Budapest.

Amherst, MA $2,759
Budapest $1,619

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Amherst, MA versus $2,524 in Budapest.

Amherst, MA $4,250
Budapest $2,524

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Amherst, MA versus $3,429 in Budapest.

Amherst, MA $5,742
Budapest $3,429

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 70% more expensive than in Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 104% above, Budapest 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$13.94 Ft 4,503

46.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

13.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-9.91%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$3.26 Ft 1,055

49.08%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.14 Ft 690

22.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.78 Ft 577

9.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$3.71 Ft 1,198

59.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.63 $10.63

$3.77 Ft 1,217

181.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.15 Ft 371

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.79 Ft 578

77.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$2.49 Ft 804

185.94%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$3.90 Ft 1,261

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$11.10 Ft 3,587

46.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$6.62 Ft 2,139

136.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$14.69 Ft 4,745

23.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.83 Ft 591

163.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$2.05 Ft 661

-33.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.37 Ft 765

37.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$3.90 Ft 1,260

23.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$0.99 Ft 320

227.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.00 Ft 322

255.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.58 Ft 511

39.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.67 Ft 216

204.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$7.96 Ft 2,572

30.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$6.22 Ft 2,009

95.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.27 Ft 411

61.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.03 Ft 654

94.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.52 Ft 490

-15.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 $27.49

$28.02 Ft 9,053

-1.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.31 Ft 1,070

4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.37 Ft 442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.92 $29.92

$19.83 Ft 6,406

50.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.82 Ft 589

-49.45%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

22.58%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-25.56%

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

$207 $207

$171 Ft 55.3K

21.24%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$23.51 Ft 7,596

141.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 $90.5

$23.29 Ft 7,526

288.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

77.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.15 $7.15

$18.89 Ft 6,104

-62.15%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 $10.64

$9.30 Ft 3,004

14.41%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$533 Ft 172.3K

183.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

0.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.36 $44.36

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-55.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 $40.35

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$110 Ft 35.7K

-18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$119 Ft 38.4K

-10.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$830 Ft 268.3K

119.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$622 Ft 200.9K

115.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

148.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

129.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 $4,010

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-31.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,000 $4,000

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

2.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

188.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.45

-5.43%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: 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

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 53.7% $720

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$433 15.7%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 40.4% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$355 12.9%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 38.6% $137

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$318 11.5%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 29.9% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$141 5.1%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 38.9% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$127 4.6%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 32.4% $41

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$43 1.6%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 3.1% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Amherst, MA and $830 in Budapest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 189% 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: $69.0 in Amherst, MA vs $61.0 in Budapest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $258 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

06:30 6:30 AM

12:30 12:30 PM

6 h ahead of Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 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).

HUF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Amherst, MA Budapest 6,790 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, MA
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

Amherst, MA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 189% higher in Amherst, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,826 in Amherst, MA versus $830 in Budapest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,513 in Amherst, MA versus $533 in Budapest. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,619 in Budapest versus $2,759 in Amherst, MA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Amherst, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Budapest is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Amherst, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Budapest 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 Budapest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.