Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, TX and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,439 in Arlington, TX, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, TX
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Arlington, TX Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Arlington, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,439

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,439 in Arlington, TX versus $1,619 in Budapest.

Arlington, TX $2,439
Budapest $1,619

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,647 in Arlington, TX versus $2,524 in Budapest.

Arlington, TX $3,647
Budapest $2,524

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,855 in Arlington, TX versus $3,429 in Budapest.

Arlington, TX $4,855
Budapest $3,429

Living in Arlington, TX is roughly 51% more expensive than in Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arlington, TX 81% above, Budapest 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$13.94 Ft 4,503

46.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 $55.3

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-9.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-0.79%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$3.26 Ft 1,055

49.08%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$2.14 Ft 690

19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.78 Ft 577

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.71 Ft 1,198

45.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.68 $6.68

$3.77 Ft 1,217

77.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.15 Ft 371

-32.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.79 Ft 578

103.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.49 Ft 804

111.24%

Eggs

$2.67 $2.67

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-31.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 $10.60

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$6.62 Ft 2,139

97.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.02 $18.02

$14.69 Ft 4,745

22.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.83 Ft 591

142.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.05 Ft 661

29.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.37 Ft 765

116.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.90 Ft 1,260

3.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.99 Ft 320

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.00 Ft 322

198.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.58 Ft 511

20.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.67 Ft 216

207.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 $9.52

$7.96 Ft 2,572

19.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.03 $12.03

$6.22 Ft 2,009

93.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.27 Ft 411

58.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.03 Ft 654

65.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.09 $6.09

$1.52 Ft 490

300.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$28.02 Ft 9,053

44.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-11.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.37 Ft 442

24.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.81 $23.81

$19.83 Ft 6,406

20.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.82 Ft 589

-48.35%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

20.13%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-23.93%

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

$211 $211

$171 Ft 55.3K

23.28%

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

$66.4 $66.4

$23.51 Ft 7,596

182.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$23.29 Ft 7,526

175.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.87 $40.87

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-39.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$9.30 Ft 3,004

58.49%

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

$1,332 $1,332

$533 Ft 172.3K

149.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.4K $28.4K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

69.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 $61.6

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-38.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

17.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$110 Ft 35.7K

-23.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$119 Ft 38.4K

-14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$830 Ft 268.3K

84.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 $1,112

$622 Ft 200.9K

78.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,533 $2,533

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 $2,031

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

73.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,173 $2,173

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-62.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,217 $2,217

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-42.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,699 $3,699

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

124.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.45

0.93%

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

Last update for Arlington, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Arlington, TX

$1.1K 45.6%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 44.1% $490

Groceries & Markets

Arlington, TX

$393 16.1%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 34.3% $135

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Arlington, TX

$341 14%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 36.2% $124

Eating Out

Arlington, TX

$311 12.8%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 28.4% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Arlington, TX

$135 5.5%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 24.6% $33

Getting Around

Arlington, TX

$76 3.1%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 42% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Arlington, TX

$70 2.9%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 22.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,536 in Arlington, TX and $830 in Budapest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, TX pays 124% 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: $55.0 in Arlington, TX vs $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $258, with Budapest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Arlington, TX

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

08:59 8:59 AM

15:59 3:59 PM

7 h ahead of Arlington, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

365,438

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 →

On the map

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Between locations

Arlington, TX Budapest 9,060 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Arlington, TX
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

Arlington, TX vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Arlington, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budapest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 124% higher in Arlington, TX, 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: $1,536 in Arlington, TX versus $830 in Budapest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,439 per month in Arlington, TX versus $1,619 in Budapest – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Budapest runs roughly 45% less than in Arlington, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Budapest versus $2,439 in Arlington, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Arlington, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budapest delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budapest hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Arlington, TX 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 51% less than in Arlington, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.