Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Antrim

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,399 in Antrim, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Antrim
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,399
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Antrim

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $2,399 in Antrim.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Antrim $2,399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $3,581 in Antrim.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Antrim $3,581

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $4,764 in Antrim.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Antrim $4,764

Living in Budapest costs roughly 33% less than in Antrim, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 20% above, Antrim 78% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$24.19 £18.15
-42.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$92.8 £69.7
-34.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$10.54 £7.91
-3.32%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$4.87 £3.65
-33.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$2.49 £1.87
-14.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$1.98 £1.49
-10.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$7.70 £5.78
-51.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$7.77 £5.83
-51.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.76 £1.32
-34.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$2.31 £1.73
-22.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$2.22 £1.66
12.16%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$4.77 £3.58
-18.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$10.70 £8.02
3.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$10.66 £8.00
-37.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$15.85 £11.89
-7.32%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$2.97 £2.23
-38.38%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$2.03 £1.52
0.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$3.37 £2.53
-29.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$4.02 £3.02
-2.99%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$2.34 £1.75
-57.69%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$1.59 £1.19
-37.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.38 £1.04
14.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$1.84 £1.38
-63.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$23.69 £17.78
-66.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$12.07 £9.06
-48.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$3.09 £2.32
-58.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$3.22 £2.42
-36.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$7.05 £5.29
-78.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$97.3 £73.0
-71.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$4.68 £3.51
-29.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$1.81 £1.36
-24.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$28.75 £21.57
-31.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$2.04 £1.53
-10.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$38.2K £28.7K
-21.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$40.4K £30.3K
-16.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$273 £204
-37.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$16.75 £12.57
40.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$46.41 £34.82
-49.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$33.38 £25.05
102.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$9.28 £6.96
103.56%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$14.71 £11.03
-36.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$1,416 £1,062
-62.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$18.0K £13.5K
-6.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$82.3 £61.8
20.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$46.38 £34.80
-6.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$109 £81.5
1.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$102 £76.3
17.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$1,217 £913
-31.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$1,007 £756
-38.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$2,106 £1,580
-24.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$1,661 £1,246
-29.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$5,032 £3,775
15.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$3,856 £2,893
0.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Antrim
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$2,952 £2,215
-44.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
4.91
31.36%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Antrim: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Antrim
$1K 62% $385
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Antrim
$346 34.1% $88
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Antrim
$356 59.4% $133
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Antrim
$336 54% $118
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Antrim
$153 9% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Antrim
$63 27.1% $23
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Antrim
$139 215% $95

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $1,217 in Antrim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Antrim pays 79% 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 $93.0 in Antrim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $346 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇬🇧 Antrim
🕒 Local time
19:37 7:37 PM
18:37 6:37 PM
1 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
20,001
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Antrim 1,920 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Antrim

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 Antrim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Antrim cheaper than Budapest?
Budapest is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Budapest or Antrim?
On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Antrim. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Budapest and Antrim?
Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $1,217 in Antrim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Budapest and in Antrim?
All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $2,399 in Antrim – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Budapest runs roughly 247% less than in Antrim. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Antrim?
At $1,619 in Budapest versus $2,399 in Antrim, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Antrim. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Budapest or Antrim more family-friendly?
For families, Budapest is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Antrim, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Antrim?
Safety-wise, Budapest and Antrim are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Budapest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Antrim. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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