Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Arad

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,976 in Arad, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Arad
Learn more

Arad Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Arad

🇮🇱 Israel

$2,976

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Arad

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $2,976 in Arad, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Arad $2,976

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $4,235 in Arad, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Arad $4,235

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $5,493 in Arad, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Arad $5,493

Budapest is about 46% cheaper than Arad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Arad sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Arad by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$25.95 ₪80.7

-46.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$92.1 ₪286

-33.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$20.04 ₪62.4

-49.15%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$4.81 ₪14.97

-32.22%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$3.98 ₪12.40

-46.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$2.67 ₪8.31

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$9.92 ₪30.86

-62.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$10.27 ₪31.97

-63.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.57 ₪7.99

-55.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$5.61 ₪17.46

-68.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$3.38 ₪10.51

-26.33%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$4.48 ₪13.95

-12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$13.12 ₪40.82

-15.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$19.23 ₪59.8

-65.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$26.55 ₪82.6

-44.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$6.38 ₪19.84

-71.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$3.20 ₪9.95

-35.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$3.05 ₪9.50

-22.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$3.17 ₪9.87

23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$2.10 ₪6.54

-52.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.70 ₪5.28

-41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$2.42 ₪7.51

-34.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$2.56 ₪7.95

-73.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$9.96 ₪31.00

-20.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$13.22 ₪41.12

-52.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$4.69 ₪14.58

-72.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$4.22 ₪13.14

-51.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$2.99 ₪9.29

-49.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$87.4 ₪272

-67.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$8.24 ₪25.65

-59.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.15 ₪3.59

19.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$28.86 ₪89.8

-31.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$2.63 ₪8.17

-30.80%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$58.2K ₪181.2K

-48.82%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$58.7K ₪182.8K

-42.44%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$336 ₪1,046

-49.12%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$12.37 ₪38.47

90.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$49.51 ₪154

-52.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$84.7 ₪264

-20.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$16.53 ₪51.4

-43.74%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$1,643 ₪5,112

-67.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$30.1K ₪93.5K

-44.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$103 ₪319

-2.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$64.3 ₪200

-32.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$176 ₪548

-37.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$157 ₪487

-24.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$1,678 ₪5,222

-50.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$1,184 ₪3,683

-47.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$2,522 ₪7,846

-36.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$1,624 ₪5,053

-27.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$10.8K ₪33.6K

-45.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$8,515 ₪26.5K

-54.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,569 ₪7,992

-35.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.2

24.04%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Arad: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Arad

$1.2K 39.8% 90.3% $562

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Arad

$516 17.3% 100% $258

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Arad

$422 14.2% 89.3% $199

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Arad

$398 13.4% 82.7% $180

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Arad

$225 7.6% 34.1% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Arad

$118 4% 36.7% $32

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Arad

$113 3.8% 156% $69

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $1,678 in Arad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Arad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $92.0 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $516 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇱 Arad

🕒 Local time

02:48 2:48 AM

03:48 3:48 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

25,530

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 ILS = 0.321 USD

1 ILS = 0.286 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

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).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.11 ILS (1 ILS = 0.321 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.286 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Arad 2,270 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Arad

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 Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arad costs about 84% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $4,464 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,619 in Budapest and $2,976 in Arad. That's a gap of about 84%.

Public transport costs about 212% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Arad at $2,976. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Budapest costs $1,619 versus $2,976 in Arad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.