Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Akranes

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $3,755 in Akranes, rent and utilities included – about $25,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
181

Cost of Living Index in Akranes
Learn more

Akranes Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Akranes

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,755

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Akranes

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 Akranes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $3,755 in Akranes.

Budapest $1,619
Akranes $3,755

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $5,928 in Akranes.

Budapest $2,524
Akranes $5,928

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $8,101 in Akranes.

Budapest $3,429
Akranes $8,101

Living in Budapest costs roughly 57% less than in Akranes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 20% above, Akranes 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$30.83 ISK 3,740

-54.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$124 ISK 15.0K

-50.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$27.33 ISK 3,315

-62.71%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$6.00 ISK 728

-45.67%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$3.15 ISK 383

-32.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$2.48 ISK 301

-28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$10.82 ISK 1,313

-65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$8.31 ISK 1,008

-54.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.11 ISK 256

-45.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$2.00 ISK 243

-10.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$3.71 ISK 450

-32.88%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$6.05 ISK 734

-35.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$20.76 ISK 2,518

-46.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$23.98 ISK 2,909

-72.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$41.92 ISK 5,085

-64.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.26 ISK 396

-43.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$2.82 ISK 342

-27.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$3.12 ISK 379

-24.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$4.78 ISK 580

-18.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$3.81 ISK 463

-74.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.65 ISK 200

-39.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$3.69 ISK 448

-57.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$1.84 ISK 224

-63.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$13.83 ISK 1,678

-42.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$24.02 ISK 2,913

-74.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.91 ISK 353

-56.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$2.09 ISK 253

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$3.71 ISK 450

-59.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$73.6 ISK 8,931

-61.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$6.69 ISK 812

-50.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.20 ISK 145

14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$80.0 ISK 9,704

-75.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$2.02 ISK 245

-9.90%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$49.8K ISK 6.0M

-40.15%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$52.8K ISK 6.4M

-36.02%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$94.6 ISK 11.5K

80.89%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$32.27 ISK 3,914

-27.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$87.0 ISK 10.5K

-73.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$104 ISK 12.7K

-35.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$19.49 ISK 2,364

-52.28%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$1,197 ISK 145.2K

-55.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$26.2K ISK 3.2M

-36.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$147 ISK 17.8K

-32.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$67.2 ISK 8,151

-35.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$182 ISK 22.1K

-39.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$253 ISK 30.7K

-53.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$3,026 ISK 367.0K

-72.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$1,934 ISK 234.6K

-67.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$4,979 ISK 603.9K

-67.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$3,759 ISK 455.9K

-68.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$5,792 ISK 702.5K

-71.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

8.81

-26.79%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Akranes: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Akranes

$1.9K 51.5% 211% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Akranes

$576 15.3% 123% $318

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Akranes

$494 13.2% 122% $271

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Akranes

$214 5.7% 1.9% $4.1

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Akranes

$292 7.8% 74.4% $125

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Akranes

$143 3.8% 66.4% $57

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Akranes

$101 2.7% 129% $57

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $3,026 in Akranes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Akranes pays 251% 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 $124 in Akranes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $576 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇸 Akranes

🕒 Local time

07:20 7:20 AM

05:20 5:20 AM

2 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

7,800

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 121 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.24 USD). 1 EUR = 136 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.33 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Akranes 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Akranes

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 Akranes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest wins on cost – living expenses run 132% lower than in Akranes. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Budapest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 251% lower in Akranes. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $3,026 in Akranes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $3,755 in Akranes – a 132% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Budapest runs roughly 163% less than in Akranes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,619 in Budapest versus $3,755 in Akranes, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Akranes. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Budapest delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,619 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budapest hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Budapest and Akranes 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 Budapest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 132% less than in Akranes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.