Cost of Living Comparison Between Békéscsaba and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Békéscsaba and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,721 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,704 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,708 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,245 per month in Békéscsaba vs $3,695 in Budapest, rent included.

Békéscsaba is about 32% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Békéscsaba sits 15% below the global median, while Budapest is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 Ft 3,056

$14.35 Ft 4,473

-31.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.43 Ft 14.2K

$63.4 Ft 19.8K

-28.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 Ft 1,824

$11.23 Ft 3,499

-47.91%

Cappuccino

$2.21 Ft 689

$3.40 Ft 1,060

-35.00%

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

$1.45 Ft 453

$2.14 Ft 668

-32.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 Ft 292

$2.03 Ft 633

-53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 Ft 342

$3.74 Ft 1,164

-70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 400

$3.79 Ft 1,181

-66.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 Ft 387

$1.23 Ft 382

0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 Ft 491

$1.91 Ft 595

-17.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 Ft 699

$2.58 Ft 805

-13.18%

Eggs

$3.44 Ft 1,073

$4.14 Ft 1,289

-16.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 Ft 3,151

$12.43 Ft 3,875

-18.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 Ft 2,188

$6.90 Ft 2,150

1.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 Ft 4,681

$15.36 Ft 4,786

-2.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 648

$2.07 Ft 646

0.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 Ft 705

$2.17 Ft 677

4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 Ft 509

$2.49 Ft 778

-34.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 Ft 899

$4.11 Ft 1,280

-29.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 320

$1.03 Ft 323

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 Ft 306

$1.00 Ft 311

-2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 Ft 336

$1.59 Ft 495

-32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 168

$0.68 Ft 212

-20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.45 Ft 2,634

$8.39 Ft 2,614

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.16 Ft 984

$6.38 Ft 1,988

-50.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 Ft 321

$1.33 Ft 415

-22.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 Ft 663

$2.25 Ft 702

-5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 400

$1.58 Ft 491

-18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,970

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 Ft 886

$3.57 Ft 1,112

-20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 Ft 432

$1.43 Ft 446

-2.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 Ft 2,020

$20.58 Ft 6,416

-68.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 603

$1.87 Ft 583

3.74%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.8M

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

-1.14%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

-0.09%

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

$173 Ft 54.1K

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

$26.21 Ft 8,169

$25.97 Ft 8,094

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.64 Ft 7,057

$25.25 Ft 7,869

-10.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.28 Ft 11.0K

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

-50.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,985

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 Ft 3,063

$9.76 Ft 3,043

0.72%

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

$558 Ft 174.0K

$577 Ft 179.8K

-3.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K Ft 5.3M

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

-3.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$107 Ft 33.3K

3.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.77 Ft 9,902

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 Ft 19.8K

$116 Ft 36.3K

-45.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 37.6K

$120 Ft 37.6K

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 Ft 134.6K

$858 Ft 267.5K

-49.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 Ft 110.2K

$671 Ft 209.2K

-47.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 Ft 178.8K

$1,672 Ft 521.1K

-65.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 Ft 139.4K

$1,295 Ft 403.8K

-65.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 Ft 495.9K

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

-73.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,221 Ft 380.7K

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

-70.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,430 Ft 445.7K

$1,709 Ft 532.5K

-16.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

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

Last update for Békéscsaba: August 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Békéscsaba versus $858 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 19% 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 $45.00 in Békéscsaba versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $274 – making Békéscsaba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Békéscsaba vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest costs about 48% more than Békéscsaba, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,744 per month in Békéscsaba and $2,581 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Békéscsaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Békéscsaba and $63.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Budapest at $1,721. In Békéscsaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Békéscsaba costs $1,163 versus $1,721 in Budapest. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Békéscsaba. 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.