Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Aegina

For one person, living is cheaper in Aegina: $1,520 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Aegina
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,520
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Aegina

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Budapest and in Aegina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $1,520 in Aegina.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Aegina $1,520

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $2,260 in Aegina.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Aegina $2,260

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $3,000 in Aegina.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Aegina $3,000

Living in Budapest is roughly 7% more expensive than in Aegina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 20% above, Aegina 13% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$14.44 €12.84
-3.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$51.7 €45.96
18.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$11.23 €9.99
-9.26%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$3.58 €3.18
-8.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$2.23 €1.98
-4.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.59 €0.52
201.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$4.19 €3.73
-11.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$4.53 €4.03
-16.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.47 €1.31
-21.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.42 €1.26
26.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$2.60 €2.31
-4.23%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$4.56 €4.05
-14.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$13.43 €11.94
-17.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$10.90 €9.70
-39.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$15.65 €13.92
-6.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$2.32 €2.07
-21.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$2.09 €1.86
-1.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$1.23 €1.10
92.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$1.85 €1.65
110.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.12 €0.99
-11.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$0.98 €0.87
2.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.09 €0.97
44.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.83 €0.74
-19.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$5.04 €4.49
57.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$6.58 €5.86
-5.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$1.97 €1.76
-35.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$2.33 €2.07
-12.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$1.33 €1.18
14.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$45.11 €40.12
-37.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$3.91 €3.48
-15.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$1.00 €0.89
37.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$17.03 €15.15
16.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.82 €1.62
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$25.9K €23.1K
14.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$24.2K €21.5K
39.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$264 €235
-35.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$23.26 €20.69
1.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$30.28 €26.94
-23.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$49.82 €44.31
35.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$28.82 €25.63
-34.46%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$8.87 €7.89
4.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$439 €391
21.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$8,508 €7,568
96.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$90.8 €80.8
9.70%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$35.86 €31.90
21.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$86.4 €76.8
27.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$136 €121
-12.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$481 €428
72.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$400 €356
55.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$661 €588
141.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$626 €557
87.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$2,583 €2,298
125.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$2,088 €1,857
86.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Aegina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$1,116 €992
47.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
4.46
44.62%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Aegina: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Aegina
$400 35.7% $222
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Aegina
$285 10.5% $27
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Aegina
$233 4.7% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Aegina
$317 45.6% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Aegina
$157 6.3% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Aegina
$68 21.6% $19
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Aegina
$59 34.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $481 in Aegina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Budapest pays 48% 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: $61.0 in Budapest vs $52.0 in Aegina. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $285, with Budapest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇬🇷 Aegina
🕒 Local time
20:57 8:57 PM
21:57 9:57 PM
1 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
13,552
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Aegina 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Aegina

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
Budapest vs Aegina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Budapest or Aegina?
Aegina wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Budapest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aegina the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Budapest or in Aegina?
Average pay runs 48% higher in Budapest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Budapest compared to Aegina?
Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $481 in Aegina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Budapest and in Aegina?
Dining out is cheaper in Aegina – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $61.0 in Budapest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Budapest compared to Aegina?
All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $1,520 in Aegina – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Budapest or in Aegina?
At $1,520 in Aegina versus $1,619 in Budapest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aegina but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Aegina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Budapest or Aegina?
Both work as nomad bases, but Aegina delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,520 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Aegina hard to pass up.
How safe is Budapest compared to Aegina?
Safety-wise, Budapest and Aegina are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Aegina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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