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: $1,451 in Budapest versus $1,089 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,210 in Budapest versus $1,627 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,969 in Budapest versus $2,165 in Ajka.

Living in Budapest is roughly 33% more expensive than Ajka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 8% above, Ajka is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 Ft 3,521

$7.68 Ft 2,324

51.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 Ft 17.7K

$22.98 Ft 6,953

154.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,604

$5.89 Ft 1,783

46.18%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Ft 857

$1.19 Ft 361

137.82%

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

$1.81 Ft 547

$1.18 Ft 358

53.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 410

$0.59 Ft 179

128.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 Ft 897

$1.26 Ft 381

134.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Ft 884

$1.19 Ft 360

145.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 385

$1.07 Ft 324

18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 Ft 504

$1.69 Ft 512

-1.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 618

$2.54 Ft 770

-19.69%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 955

$3.16 Ft 956

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 Ft 2,988

$7.65 Ft 2,314

29.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,868

$6.03 Ft 1,826

2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 Ft 4,072

$17.94 Ft 5,426

-24.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 562

$1.86 Ft 561

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 578

$1.77 Ft 535

7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 628

$2.03 Ft 615

2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,092

$2.87 Ft 868

25.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 344

$1.03 Ft 311

10.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 368

$1.18 Ft 358

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 467

$1.39 Ft 419

10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.48 Ft 146

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 Ft 2,081

$7.76 Ft 2,347

-11.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 Ft 1,808

$5.16 Ft 1,563

15.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 362

$1.01 Ft 304

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 501

$1.42 Ft 431

16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 Ft 398

$1.14 Ft 343

14.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.92 Ft 7,843

$25.19 Ft 7,620

2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 978

$2.78 Ft 842

16.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 341

$1.27 Ft 385

-11.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.91 Ft 5,722

$17.08 Ft 5,168

10.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 528

$1.77 Ft 534

-1.13%

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

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

-1.67%

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

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

22.31%

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

$145 Ft 44.0K

$106 Ft 32.0K

37.36%

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

$26.44 Ft 8,001

$24.80 Ft 7,502

6.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.87 Ft 6,012

$19.19 Ft 5,805

3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 Ft 19.3K

$47.37 Ft 14.3K

34.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 6,724

$16.78 Ft 5,075

32.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,750

$8.25 Ft 2,497

10.18%

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

$460 Ft 139.3K

$217 Ft 65.6K

112.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.7M

$6,337 Ft 1.9M

93.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 Ft 26.4K

$109 Ft 33.0K

-20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 Ft 12.7K

$29.29 Ft 8,860

43.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 Ft 29.6K

$87.8 Ft 26.6K

11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 31.4K

$110 Ft 33.2K

-5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 Ft 224.8K

$448 Ft 135.5K

65.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 164.3K

$348 Ft 105.3K

56.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 Ft 409.4K

$628 Ft 190.1K

115.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 Ft 295.5K

$528 Ft 159.8K

84.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

$3,482 Ft 1.1M

76.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,404 Ft 1.3M

$2,168 Ft 655.9K

103.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 Ft 544.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

5.85

20.17%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ajka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Budapest and $448 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Budapest vs $23.00 in Ajka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $235 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,451 vs $1,089 including rent). Ajka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,177 in Budapest and $1,634 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: $743 in Budapest versus $448 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 3% less than in Budapest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $460 in Budapest versus $217 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,089 in Ajka versus $1,451 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 33% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.