Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Arak

For one person, living is cheaper in Arak: $482 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
24

Cost of Living Index in Arak
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Arak Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Arak

🇮🇷 Iran

$482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Arak

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $482 in Arak.

Budapest $1,619
Arak $482

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $758 in Arak.

Budapest $2,524
Arak $758

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $1,034 in Arak.

Budapest $3,429
Arak $1,034

Living in Budapest is roughly 236% more expensive than in Arak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 20% above, Arak is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,492

$3.71 $3.71

275.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.7K

$12.65 $12.65

383.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,284

$4.09 $4.09

149.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 $0.56

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,052

$1.36 $1.36

139.71%

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

$2.14 Ft 689

$0.48 $0.48

345.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 575

$1.73 $1.73

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,195

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,215

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 370

$0.55 $0.55

109.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 576

$0.57 $0.57

214.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 802

$1.90 $1.90

31.05%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,258

$1.22 $1.22

219.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,579

$2.16 $2.16

413.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,134

$2.56 $2.56

158.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,734

$10.32 $10.32

42.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 590

$0.79 $0.79

131.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 660

$1.02 $1.02

100.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 764

$0.63 $0.63

276.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,257

$0.51 $0.51

664.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.44 $0.44

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 321

$0.41 $0.41

143.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 510

$0.48 $0.48

229.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 215

$0.30 $0.30

123.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.83 $0.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,566

$2.54 $2.54

213.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,004

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 410

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 653

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 489

$0.10 $0.10

1420.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,032

$9.52 $9.52

194.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,067

$0.25 $0.25

1224.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 441

$0.12 $0.12

1041.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,391

$1.03 $1.03

1825.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 587

$0.09 $0.09

1922.22%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$49.8K $49.8K

-40.16%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$34.4K $34.4K

-1.58%

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

$171 Ft 55.2K

$9.84 $9.84

1639.02%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,579

$1.49 $1.49

1477.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,508

$3.75 $3.75

521.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$9.87 $9.87

584.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,090

$24.01 $24.01

-21.32%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 2,997

$1.12 $1.12

730.36%

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

$533 Ft 171.9K

$83.5 $83.5

538.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$2,319 $2,319

622.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.1K

$13.43 $13.43

641.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$8.95 $8.95

385.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.6K

$80.9 $80.9

36.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.3K

$51.4 $51.4

131.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 267.7K

$295 $295

181.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.5K

$211 $211

195.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 513.7K

$806 $806

97.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 377.2K

$359 $359

226.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,354 $1,354

330.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$656 $656

493.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 532.2K

$368 $368

348.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

18.5

-65.14%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Arak: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Arak

$211 43.7% 66.1% $411

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Arak

$97 20.1% 62.5% $161

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Arak

$67 13.9% 69.9% $156

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Arak

$15 3.1% 93.1% $203

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Arak

$70 14.4% 58.5% $98

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Arak

$12 2.5% 85.9% $74

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Arak

$11 2.2% 75.6% $33

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $295 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Budapest pays 349% 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 $13.00 in Arak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $97.0 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇷 Arak

🕒 Local time

06:34 6:34 AM

08:04 8:04 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

526,200

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 322 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Arak 2,950 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
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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 Arak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arak is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 236% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 349% higher in Budapest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $295 in Arak. 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 $482 in Arak – a 236% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 194% less than in Budapest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $482 in Arak versus $1,619 in Budapest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Arak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Budapest, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Budapest and Arak 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 Arak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 236% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.