Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ajka Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ajka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,730 in Budapest versus $1,245 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,693 in Budapest versus $1,847 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,657 in Budapest versus $2,449 in Ajka.

Living in Budapest is roughly 39% more expensive than in Ajka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 25% above, Ajka is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$10.20 Ft 3,194

40.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$23.18 Ft 7,261

172.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$8.31 Ft 2,603

35.02%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$1.14 Ft 356

200.00%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$1.18 Ft 369

83.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$0.56 Ft 176

257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$1.30 Ft 407

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$1.14 Ft 358

234.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.28 Ft 401

-4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.49 Ft 468

33.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$2.62 Ft 820

-3.05%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$3.97 Ft 1,245

6.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$10.13 Ft 3,175

19.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$6.83 Ft 2,140

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$16.31 Ft 5,110

-6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$2.33 Ft 729

-12.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.31 Ft 724

-3.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$2.04 Ft 640

19.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$3.46 Ft 1,083

17.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.05 Ft 330

-1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$1.13 Ft 355

-7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$1.58 Ft 495

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.54 Ft 170

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$7.93 Ft 2,484

5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$5.05 Ft 1,581

25.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$1.35 Ft 422

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.10 Ft 658

5.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

$1.24 Ft 388

32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

$27.95 Ft 8,755

5.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$3.20 Ft 1,003

7.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$1.77 Ft 555

-19.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$18.87 Ft 5,913

12.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.95 Ft 609

-1.03%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$29.1K Ft 9.1M

9.80%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$38.5K Ft 12.1M

-8.36%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$133 Ft 41.7K

31.17%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$22.73 Ft 7,119

12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$21.07 Ft 6,601

16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$48.43 Ft 15.2K

47.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

$18.73 Ft 5,866

6.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$8.79 Ft 2,752

15.81%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$254 Ft 79.7K

121.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$7,035 Ft 2.2M

146.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$107 Ft 33.5K

2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$33.59 Ft 10.5K

35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$130 Ft 40.6K

-3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$547 Ft 171.4K

54.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$422 Ft 132.1K

56.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$757 Ft 237.0K

121.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$656 Ft 205.6K

96.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$3,059 Ft 958.2K

93.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$2,671 Ft 836.8K

53.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.67

-1.65%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ajka: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $846 in Budapest and $547 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Budapest vs $23.00 in Ajka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $258 per month, with Ajka cheaper across the board.

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 Ajka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest and Ajka differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,730 vs $1,245 including rent). Ajka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,594 in Budapest and $1,867 in Ajka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $846 in Budapest versus $547 in Ajka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ajka runs roughly 5% less than in Budapest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $563 in Budapest versus $254 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,245 in Ajka versus $1,730 in Budapest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ajka but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Ajka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Budapest and Ajka 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 Ajka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.