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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,071 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,439 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,208 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,083 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,977 in Budapest, rent included.

Békéscsaba is about 26% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Békéscsaba sits 20% below the global median, while Budapest is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.84 Ft 1,818

$11.30 Ft 3,516

-48.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.92 Ft 12.7K

$57.1 Ft 17.8K

-28.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 Ft 2,621

$8.77 Ft 2,729

-3.99%

Cappuccino

$2.02 Ft 629

$2.76 Ft 859

-26.81%

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

$0.84 Ft 261

$1.79 Ft 556

-53.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Ft 272

$1.34 Ft 416

-35.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 Ft 598

$2.85 Ft 886

-32.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 Ft 365

$2.82 Ft 877

-58.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 Ft 317

$1.22 Ft 379

-16.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 Ft 458

$1.73 Ft 540

-15.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 552

$2.09 Ft 650

-15.31%

Eggs

$2.71 Ft 844

$3.00 Ft 935

-9.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 Ft 2,637

$9.84 Ft 3,062

-13.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 Ft 1,872

$6.27 Ft 1,950

-3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 Ft 3,836

$13.06 Ft 4,063

-5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 Ft 436

$1.93 Ft 601

-27.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 Ft 615

$1.99 Ft 619

-0.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 Ft 456

$2.17 Ft 675

-32.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 Ft 545

$3.68 Ft 1,143

-52.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 319

$1.17 Ft 363

-11.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 347

$1.25 Ft 389

-10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 Ft 185

$1.55 Ft 481

-61.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 Ft 185

$0.58 Ft 181

1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.94 Ft 2,159

$6.56 Ft 2,042

5.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.15 Ft 981

$5.57 Ft 1,732

-43.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 218

$1.15 Ft 357

-39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 Ft 262

$1.73 Ft 540

-51.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 Ft 361

$1.27 Ft 395

-8.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.39 Ft 7,899

$26.08 Ft 8,114

-2.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 Ft 814

$3.23 Ft 1,006

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 Ft 362

$1.13 Ft 351

2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Ft 1,779

$19.09 Ft 5,939

-70.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 545

$1.78 Ft 553

-1.69%

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

$24.6K Ft 7.6M

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

-4.01%

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

$34.2K Ft 10.6M

$30.7K Ft 9.5M

11.39%

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

$175 Ft 54.5K

$148 Ft 45.9K

18.80%

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

$26.28 Ft 8,177

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 Ft 6,139

$20.16 Ft 6,271

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.99 Ft 14.6K

$62.9 Ft 19.6K

-25.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 Ft 5,280

$22.45 Ft 6,986

-24.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 Ft 2,207

$9.15 Ft 2,846

-22.51%

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

$326 Ft 101.6K

$463 Ft 144.2K

-29.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,391 Ft 1.1M

$12.3K Ft 3.8M

-72.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 Ft 16.9K

$84.0 Ft 26.1K

-35.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.80 Ft 8,339

$41.93 Ft 13.0K

-36.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 Ft 19.5K

$96.4 Ft 30.0K

-34.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.0 Ft 20.5K

$107 Ft 33.3K

-38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 Ft 141.2K

$738 Ft 229.5K

-38.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Ft 107.1K

$562 Ft 174.8K

-38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 Ft 196.4K

$1,332 Ft 414.4K

-52.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 Ft 168.5K

$984 Ft 306.0K

-44.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,620 Ft 504.0K

$6,023 Ft 1.9M

-73.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,230 Ft 382.6K

$4,331 Ft 1.3M

-71.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,442 Ft 448.8K

$1,747 Ft 543.6K

-17.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.03

6.69%

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

Last update for Békéscsaba: April 20, 2026

Last update for Budapest: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Békéscsaba versus $738 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 21% 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 $41 in Békéscsaba versus $57 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $238 – 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 34% 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 $1,607 per month in Békéscsaba and $2,158 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.

Groceries cost about 22% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Békéscsaba and $57.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,071, than in Budapest at $1,439. 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 $1,071 versus $1,439 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.