Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Baltimore, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,491 in Baltimore, MD, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 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
122

Cost of Living Index in Baltimore, MD
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Baltimore, MD Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Baltimore, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,491

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Baltimore, MD

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,621 in Budapest versus $2,491 in Baltimore, MD.

Budapest $1,621
Baltimore, MD $2,491

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,555 in Budapest versus $3,888 in Baltimore, MD.

Budapest $2,555
Baltimore, MD $3,888

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Budapest versus $5,284 in Baltimore, MD.

Budapest $3,489
Baltimore, MD $5,284

Living in Budapest costs roughly 35% less than in Baltimore, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 21% above, Baltimore, MD 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$18.22 $18.22

-23.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$94.7 $94.7

-36.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$10.48 $10.48

-4.96%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$5.36 $5.36

-36.94%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$3.46 $3.46

-38.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$2.61 $2.61

-28.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$6.89 $6.89

-45.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$7.83 $7.83

-54.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$1.14 $1.14

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$4.14 $4.14

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$4.08 $4.08

-41.42%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$4.84 $4.84

-20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$12.78 $12.78

-11.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$13.02 $13.02

-48.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$18.78 $18.78

-21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$6.14 $6.14

-70.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.56 $1.56

28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$5.54 $5.54

-57.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$4.98 $4.98

-24.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$2.78 $2.78

-65.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$2.90 $2.90

-64.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$2.36 $2.36

-33.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$2.34 $2.34

-71.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$14.05 $14.05

-43.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$15.43 $15.43

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$2.63 $2.63

-50.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$3.83 $3.83

-45.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$2.03 $2.03

-26.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$76.8 $76.8

-64.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$1.85 $1.85

78.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.36 $1.36

-4.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$23.59 $23.59

-16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$1.07 $1.07

69.16%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$36.0K $36.0K

-18.53%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$25.2K $25.2K

35.39%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$211 $211

-19.59%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$67.1 $67.1

-64.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$88.2 $88.2

-73.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$51.7 $51.7

28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$47.99 $47.99

-60.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$14.72 $14.72

-35.33%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$1,935 $1,935

-72.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$34.9K $34.9K

-52.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$52.6 $52.6

92.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$63.1 $63.1

-31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$92.8 $92.8

21.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$110 $110

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$1,766 $1,766

-54.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$1,067 $1,067

-41.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$2,352 $2,352

-34.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$2,124 $2,124

-45.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$2,545 $2,545

120.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$2,352 $2,352

68.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$4,289 $4,289

-62.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.72

-4.32%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Baltimore, MD

$1.1K 42.6% 69.5% $438

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Baltimore, MD

$439 17.5% 70.4% $181

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Baltimore, MD

$316 12.6% 40.9% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Baltimore, MD

$367 14.6% 68.7% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Baltimore, MD

$143 5.7% 15.4% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Baltimore, MD

$81 3.2% 4.9% $4.2

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Baltimore, MD

$94 3.7% 115% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $805 in Budapest and $1,766 in Baltimore, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 164% 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 $95.0 in Baltimore, MD for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $439 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇺🇸 Baltimore, MD

🕒 Local time

07:48 7:48 AM

01:48 1:48 AM

6 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

585,708

💱 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 = 325 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 Baltimore, MD 7,280 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Baltimore, MD

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 Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Baltimore, MD. 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 164% lower in Baltimore, MD. 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 $1,766 in Baltimore, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Baltimore, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Budapest – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $95.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,621 in Budapest versus $2,491 in Baltimore, MD, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Baltimore, MD. 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 Baltimore, MD 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 54% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.