Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 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
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,621 in Budapest versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Budapest $1,621
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,555 in Budapest versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Budapest $2,555
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Budapest versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Budapest $3,489
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Budapest costs roughly 40% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 21% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

$20.22 $20.22

-30.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

$85.0 $85.0

-29.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$12.35 $12.35

-19.35%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

$5.47 $5.47

-38.21%

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

$2.13 Ft 693

$3.82 $3.82

-44.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

$2.50 $2.50

-25.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$8.06 $8.06

-53.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

$8.99 $8.99

-60.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$1.13 $1.13

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

$3.78 $3.78

-51.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$3.25 $3.25

-26.46%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$4.14 $4.14

-7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

$13.08 $13.08

-13.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

$14.31 $14.31

-52.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

$15.96 $15.96

-7.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

$4.38 $4.38

-57.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

$1.45 $1.45

38.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$4.54 $4.54

-48.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

$4.19 $4.19

-10.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

$2.63 $2.63

-63.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

$2.36 $2.36

-56.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$1.76 $1.76

-11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$2.16 $2.16

-69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

$9.81 $9.81

-18.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

$14.72 $14.72

-59.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

$2.78 $2.78

-53.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

$3.48 $3.48

-40.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

$1.49 $1.49

0.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

$40.51 $40.51

-31.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

$2.67 $2.67

23.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.58 $1.58

-17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

$35.29 $35.29

-43.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.99 $0.99

82.83%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

$35.8K $35.8K

-18.09%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$27.2K $27.2K

25.51%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$219 $219

-22.50%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

$58.0 $58.0

-58.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

$68.4 $68.4

-65.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$57.9 $57.9

14.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

$14.82 $14.82

29.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

$14.13 $14.13

-32.63%

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

$1,509 $1,509

-64.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$21.5K $21.5K

-22.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$51.7 $51.7

96.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$44.05 $44.05

-2.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$85.1 $85.1

32.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

$105 $105

12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

$1,932 $1,932

-58.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

$1,272 $1,272

-50.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

$3,670 $3,670

-57.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

$2,525 $2,525

-53.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$7,617 $7,617

-26.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$3,199 $3,199

24.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

$5,105 $5,105

-68.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.79

-5.30%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 102% $643

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 56.4% $145

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 55.2% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 59% $128

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 23.9% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 1% $0.9

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 31.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $805 in Budapest and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 214% 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: $60.0 in Budapest vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $403 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

03:54 3:54 AM

20:54 8:54 PM

7 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Austin, TX 9,310 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Austin, TX. 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 214% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $805 in Budapest versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,621 per month in Budapest versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Budapest runs roughly 47% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,621 in Budapest versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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 $1,621 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Budapest hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Budapest and Austin, TX 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 67% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.