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: $1,438 in Budapest versus $1,072 in Ajka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,208 in Budapest versus $1,599 in Ajka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,979 in Budapest versus $2,127 in Ajka.

Living in Budapest is roughly 34% more expensive than Ajka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 7% above, Ajka is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,571

$7.49 Ft 2,330

53.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.1K

$22.91 Ft 7,121

154.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,678

$5.85 Ft 1,819

47.18%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 863

$1.14 Ft 356

143.86%

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

$1.73 Ft 538

$1.17 Ft 365

47.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 415

$0.56 Ft 173

139.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 876

$1.28 Ft 398

120.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 888

$1.15 Ft 357

148.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.10 Ft 343

11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 519

$1.69 Ft 526

-1.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 634

$2.61 Ft 811

-21.84%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 952

$3.15 Ft 979

-2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,180

$7.75 Ft 2,410

32.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,973

$6.08 Ft 1,890

4.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,164

$17.51 Ft 5,444

-23.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.95 Ft 605

-2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 597

$1.83 Ft 570

4.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 677

$2.07 Ft 643

5.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,126

$2.84 Ft 882

27.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 350

$1.02 Ft 319

9.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 376

$1.19 Ft 369

1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 460

$1.39 Ft 431

6.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.44 Ft 136

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,038

$7.99 Ft 2,483

-17.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,784

$5.28 Ft 1,642

8.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 356

$0.95 Ft 295

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 515

$1.42 Ft 440

16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 396

$1.16 Ft 361

9.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,171

$25.41 Ft 7,900

3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 973

$2.78 Ft 863

12.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 345

$1.32 Ft 409

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,888

$17.59 Ft 5,469

7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 554

$1.75 Ft 543

1.71%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

-0.49%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

19.38%

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

$148 Ft 46.0K

$106 Ft 32.9K

39.90%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,287

$25.33 Ft 7,875

5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,206

$18.59 Ft 5,780

7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$47.49 Ft 14.8K

34.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,815

$17.03 Ft 5,293

28.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,716

$8.54 Ft 2,655

2.34%

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

$463 Ft 144.0K

$223 Ft 69.4K

107.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$6,336 Ft 2.0M

91.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.7K

$106 Ft 32.9K

-18.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.4K

$30.17 Ft 9,379

43.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.7K

$84.6 Ft 26.3K

13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.3K

$110 Ft 34.1K

-5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 228.6K

$450 Ft 139.9K

63.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.0K

$347 Ft 107.9K

61.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 421.1K

$643 Ft 200.0K

110.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 302.3K

$543 Ft 168.8K

79.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.8M

$3,582 Ft 1.1M

65.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$2,202 Ft 684.5K

90.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 539.8K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ajka: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $736 in Budapest and $450 in Ajka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Budapest vs $23.00 in Ajka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $1,072 including rent). Ajka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,157 in Budapest and $1,608 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: $736 in Budapest versus $450 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 $463 in Budapest versus $223 in Ajka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,072 in Ajka versus $1,438 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.