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: $1,435 in Budapest versus $1,073 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Budapest versus $1,628 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,972 in Budapest versus $2,184 in Ajka.

Living in Budapest is roughly 34% more expensive than in 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

$11.54 Ft 3,651

$7.58 Ft 2,400

52.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

$23.53 Ft 7,443

146.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 Ft 2,812

$5.84 Ft 1,849

52.23%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Ft 863

$1.19 Ft 376

129.41%

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

$1.71 Ft 541

$1.13 Ft 357

51.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 405

$0.56 Ft 176

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Ft 927

$1.26 Ft 398

132.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Ft 906

$1.13 Ft 359

153.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 382

$1.07 Ft 339

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 Ft 557

$1.64 Ft 519

7.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 657

$2.56 Ft 809

-18.75%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 969

$3.04 Ft 962

0.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 Ft 3,225

$7.95 Ft 2,515

28.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 Ft 1,917

$5.89 Ft 1,863

2.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 Ft 4,233

$17.57 Ft 5,558

-23.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 608

$1.92 Ft 609

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 600

$1.84 Ft 582

3.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 691

$2.05 Ft 648

6.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 Ft 1,098

$2.93 Ft 927

18.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 354

$1.03 Ft 326

8.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 395

$1.19 Ft 376

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 495

$1.38 Ft 438

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 183

$0.44 Ft 139

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 Ft 2,155

$7.84 Ft 2,481

-13.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 Ft 1,981

$4.93 Ft 1,561

26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Ft 381

$0.99 Ft 314

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 Ft 529

$1.49 Ft 471

12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 Ft 420

$1.12 Ft 355

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Ft 8,205

$25.14 Ft 7,954

3.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 976

$2.85 Ft 903

8.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.28 Ft 404

-13.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 Ft 5,906

$17.32 Ft 5,481

7.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 Ft 586

$1.67 Ft 528

10.78%

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

$25.4K Ft 8.1M

$25.8K Ft 8.2M

-1.31%

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

$31.5K Ft 10.0M

$25.7K Ft 8.1M

22.57%

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

$148 Ft 46.8K

$103 Ft 32.6K

43.23%

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

$25.98 Ft 8,220

$24.75 Ft 7,831

4.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 Ft 6,398

$19.00 Ft 6,012

6.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 Ft 19.9K

$46.84 Ft 14.8K

34.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 7,034

$17.08 Ft 5,405

30.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,815

$8.47 Ft 2,681

5.08%

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

$464 Ft 146.8K

$220 Ft 69.5K

111.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

$6,376 Ft 2.0M

94.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 Ft 26.9K

$107 Ft 33.9K

-20.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.7K

$29.77 Ft 9,420

45.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 Ft 30.2K

$86.4 Ft 27.3K

10.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$112 Ft 35.5K

-7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 233.5K

$453 Ft 143.3K

62.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 Ft 176.7K

$344 Ft 108.8K

62.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 Ft 423.0K

$635 Ft 201.0K

110.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 Ft 305.4K

$532 Ft 168.3K

81.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

$2,633 Ft 833.0K

125.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

$2,229 Ft 705.3K

91.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 Ft 547.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ajka: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Budapest and $453 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Budapest vs $24.00 in Ajka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $233 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,435 vs $1,073 including rent). Ajka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,152 in Budapest and $1,610 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: $738 in Budapest versus $453 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 $464 in Budapest versus $220 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,073 in Ajka versus $1,435 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 34% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.