Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Barbacena

For one person, living is cheaper in Barbacena: $857 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Barbacena
🇧🇷 Brazil
$857
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Barbacena

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $857 in Barbacena.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Barbacena $857

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $1,305 in Barbacena.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Barbacena $1,305

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $1,753 in Barbacena.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Barbacena $1,753

Living in Budapest is roughly 89% more expensive than in Barbacena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 20% above, Barbacena is 37% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,523
$5.35 R$26.86
160.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.9K
$20.84 R$105
193.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,306
$5.93 R$29.74
71.84%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,059
$1.74 R$8.73
87.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 694
$1.57 R$7.89
36.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 579
$0.86 R$4.30
106.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,204
$1.32 R$6.62
181.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,223
$2.27 R$11.37
66.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 372
$1.14 R$5.69
0.88%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 580
$2.06 R$10.36
-13.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 807
$1.22 R$6.12
104.10%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,266
$2.38 R$11.96
63.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,604
$10.81 R$54.3
2.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,149
$4.44 R$22.25
49.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,767
$9.97 R$50.0
47.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 594
$2.90 R$14.54
-36.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 664
$1.83 R$9.19
12.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 769
$1.57 R$7.89
50.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,266
$1.79 R$9.00
117.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 322
$1.21 R$6.08
-18.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 323
$1.04 R$5.20
-3.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 513
$0.71 R$3.55
122.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 217
$0.70 R$3.50
-4.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,584
$3.02 R$15.17
163.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,018
$7.83 R$39.29
-20.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 413
$1.18 R$5.93
7.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 657
$2.42 R$12.14
-16.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 492
$0.97 R$4.87
56.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,095
$45.05 R$226
-37.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,075
$1.26 R$6.34
162.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 444
$0.85 R$4.26
61.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,436
$9.35 R$46.91
112.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 591
$1.31 R$6.56
38.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.7M
$23.5K R$118.0K
26.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 11.0M
$32.7K R$164.1K
3.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.5K
$136 R$685
25.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,631
$11.02 R$55.3
113.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,560
$22.95 R$115
1.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.9K
$26.50 R$133
154.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,133
$29.48 R$148
-35.92%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,018
$7.94 R$39.85
17.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 173.1K
$596 R$2,992
-10.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$13.4K R$67.3K
24.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.3K
$41.74 R$209
138.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.1K
$48.77 R$245
-10.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.8K
$75.6 R$379
45.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.6K
$67.2 R$337
77.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 269.6K
$234 R$1,172
255.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 201.9K
$168 R$841
271.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 517.2K
$434 R$2,178
267.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 379.9K
$307 R$1,539
281.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$1,629 R$8,175
257.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$1,334 R$6,692
191.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Barbacena
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 535.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
11.93
-45.93%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Barbacena: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Barbacena
$168 73.1% $454
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Barbacena
$215 16.7% $43
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Barbacena
$102 54.1% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Barbacena
$170 21.8% $48
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Barbacena
$105 37.4% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Barbacena
$42 50.8% $44
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Barbacena
$54 23.1% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $234 in Barbacena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Budapest vs $21.00 in Barbacena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $215 per month, with Barbacena cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇧🇷 Barbacena
🕒 Local time
14:42 2:42 PM
09:42 9:42 AM
5 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
125,317
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 364 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 5.02 BRL (1 BRL = 0.199 USD). 1 EUR = 5.62 BRL (1 BRL = 0.178 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Barbacena 9,870 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Barbacena

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 Barbacena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Budapest and in Barbacena?
Budapest and Barbacena differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,619 vs $857 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Budapest compared to Barbacena?
You'd need roughly $2,428 in Budapest and $1,286 in Barbacena to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Budapest and in Barbacena?
Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $234 in Barbacena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Budapest or Barbacena?
All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $857 in Barbacena – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Budapest and in Barbacena?
A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 61% less than in Budapest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $857 in Barbacena versus $1,619 in Budapest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barbacena but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Barbacena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Budapest and Barbacena?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Budapest or Barbacena safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Budapest and Barbacena are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Budapest or Barbacena?
Expats usually find Barbacena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Budapest vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?