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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,101 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,991 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 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 Ft 1,782

$11.49 Ft 3,542

-49.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.94 Ft 12.6K

$56.8 Ft 17.5K

-27.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 Ft 2,624

$8.66 Ft 2,670

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$1.98 Ft 611

$2.77 Ft 853

-28.52%

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

$0.83 Ft 257

$1.80 Ft 554

-53.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 Ft 260

$1.33 Ft 411

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Ft 571

$2.81 Ft 868

-34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 Ft 360

$2.79 Ft 862

-58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 Ft 313

$1.21 Ft 372

-16.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 Ft 431

$1.74 Ft 535

-19.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 Ft 524

$2.08 Ft 643

-18.27%

Eggs

$2.70 Ft 832

$3.10 Ft 957

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 Ft 2,700

$9.95 Ft 3,068

-11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,902

$6.33 Ft 1,951

-2.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 Ft 3,812

$13.33 Ft 4,111

-7.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 Ft 440

$1.85 Ft 571

-22.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Ft 608

$1.91 Ft 588

3.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 Ft 432

$2.17 Ft 669

-35.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 545

$3.67 Ft 1,131

-51.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 315

$1.13 Ft 348

-9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 Ft 363

$1.22 Ft 375

-3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 Ft 186

$1.55 Ft 477

-61.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Ft 172

$0.53 Ft 164

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 Ft 2,137

$6.79 Ft 2,095

2.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.18 Ft 979

$5.87 Ft 1,810

-45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 217

$1.22 Ft 375

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 Ft 262

$1.73 Ft 533

-50.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 Ft 345

$1.28 Ft 396

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.89 Ft 7,673

$26.14 Ft 8,060

-4.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 Ft 817

$3.26 Ft 1,005

-18.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 347

$1.13 Ft 348

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Ft 1,763

$19.23 Ft 5,929

-70.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 Ft 520

$1.75 Ft 539

-3.43%

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

$24.8K Ft 7.6M

$25.9K Ft 8.0M

-4.25%

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

$33.9K Ft 10.5M

$30.8K Ft 9.5M

10.33%

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

$173 Ft 53.3K

$145 Ft 44.8K

19.09%

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

$26.88 Ft 8,288

$26.21 Ft 8,082

2.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.98 Ft 6,161

$20.23 Ft 6,237

-1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.42 Ft 14.3K

$62.1 Ft 19.1K

-25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 Ft 5,245

$22.11 Ft 6,818

-23.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 Ft 2,262

$9.15 Ft 2,822

-19.78%

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

$336 Ft 103.6K

$454 Ft 139.9K

-25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

-71.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 Ft 16.9K

$84.6 Ft 26.1K

-35.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.50 Ft 8,478

$41.84 Ft 12.9K

-34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 Ft 19.6K

$95.9 Ft 29.6K

-33.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 Ft 20.8K

$107 Ft 32.9K

-36.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 Ft 140.2K

$719 Ft 221.6K

-36.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Ft 107.2K

$553 Ft 170.5K

-37.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 Ft 193.3K

$1,356 Ft 417.9K

-53.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 Ft 166.7K

$984 Ft 303.3K

-45.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 Ft 501.0K

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

-73.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,243 Ft 383.2K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-72.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,453 Ft 448.0K

$1,834 Ft 565.5K

-20.77%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Békéscsaba versus $719 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 26% 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 $41.00 in Békéscsaba versus $57.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $239 – 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 35% 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 $1,608 per month in Békéscsaba and $2,175 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 $1,072, than in Budapest at $1,450. 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 $1,072 versus $1,450 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.