Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Bat Yam

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,565 in Bat Yam, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,621
/mo nomad
Bat Yam
🇮🇱 Israel
$2,565
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Bat Yam

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,621 in Budapest versus $2,565 in Bat Yam.

  • Budapest $1,621
  • Bat Yam $2,565

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,555 in Budapest versus $3,832 in Bat Yam.

  • Budapest $2,555
  • Bat Yam $3,832

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Budapest versus $5,098 in Bat Yam.

  • Budapest $3,489
  • Bat Yam $5,098

Living in Budapest costs roughly 37% less than in Bat Yam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 21% above, Bat Yam 91% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.99 Ft 4,551
$22.50 ₪68.9
-37.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.3 Ft 19.6K
$96.4 ₪295
-37.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 Ft 3,241
$16.87 ₪51.6
-40.96%
Cappuccino
$3.38 Ft 1,100
$5.08 ₪15.54
-33.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 Ft 692
$2.95 ₪9.02
-27.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 Ft 608
$2.35 ₪7.18
-20.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 Ft 1,221
$10.69 ₪32.71
-64.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 Ft 1,162
$9.97 ₪30.51
-64.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 Ft 368
$2.32 ₪7.10
-51.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 Ft 599
$2.37 ₪7.26
-22.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 Ft 777
$2.39 ₪7.32
-
Eggs
$3.83 Ft 1,245
$4.60 ₪14.08
-16.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 Ft 3,686
$8.02 ₪24.54
41.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.74 Ft 2,192
$12.09 ₪37.00
-44.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,780
$16.51 ₪50.5
-11.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 Ft 597
$3.32 ₪10.17
-44.58%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 Ft 653
$2.99 ₪9.14
-32.78%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 Ft 767
$1.82 ₪5.56
29.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.77 Ft 1,226
$2.60 ₪7.96
45.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 Ft 313
$1.77 ₪5.40
-45.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 Ft 334
$1.38 ₪4.23
-25.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 Ft 509
$1.94 ₪5.93
-19.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 Ft 216
$1.01 ₪3.10
-34.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,591
$14.28 ₪43.69
-44.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.01 Ft 1,954
$11.11 ₪33.98
-45.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 Ft 421
$2.80 ₪8.56
-53.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 Ft 676
$2.51 ₪7.69
-17.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 Ft 489
$2.64 ₪8.06
-43.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.61 Ft 8,982
$96.8 ₪296
-71.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,074
$2.59 ₪7.94
27.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 Ft 424
$1.27 ₪3.89
2.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.78 Ft 6,436
$41.69 ₪128
-52.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 Ft 591
$2.54 ₪7.76
-28.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K Ft 9.5M
$57.8K ₪176.8K
-49.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K Ft 11.1M
$59.7K ₪182.8K
-42.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 Ft 55.3K
$266 ₪815
-36.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.98 Ft 7,802
$10.52 ₪32.19
127.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.42 Ft 7,621
$55.1 ₪169
-57.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.2 Ft 21.6K
$78.5 ₪240
-15.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 Ft 6,239
$19.76 ₪60.5
-2.94%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 Ft 3,098
$12.94 ₪39.59
-26.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$537 Ft 174.6K
$1,142 ₪3,495
-53.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K Ft 5.4M
$24.5K ₪74.8K
-32.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 Ft 33.0K
$37.94 ₪116
167.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.99 Ft 14.0K
$40.65 ₪124
5.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 36.7K
$99.8 ₪305
13.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.6K
$118 ₪362
0.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 Ft 262.0K
$1,349 ₪4,126
-40.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 204.7K
$1,020 ₪3,122
-38.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 Ft 504.1K
$2,650 ₪8,109
-41.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,167 Ft 379.7K
$1,747 ₪5,344
-33.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,618 Ft 1.8M
$9,025 ₪27.6K
-37.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,968 Ft 1.3M
$7,285 ₪22.3K
-45.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Bat Yam
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,626 Ft 529.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.43
5.07
26.82%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bat Yam: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$629
Bat Yam
$1K 62.2% $391
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Bat Yam
$333 29.2% $75
Eating Out
Budapest
$224
Bat Yam
$386 72.2% $162
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$217
Bat Yam
$332 52.7% $115
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$169
Bat Yam
$133 21.1% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$85
Bat Yam
$104 22.4% $19
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Bat Yam
$116 168% $73

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $805 in Budapest and $1,349 in Bat Yam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Budapest vs $96.0 in Bat Yam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $333 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇮🇱 Bat Yam
🕒 Local time
07:05 7:05 AM
08:05 8:05 AM
1 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
158,565
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

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).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.06 ILS (1 ILS = 0.327 USD). 1 EUR = 3.43 ILS (1 ILS = 0.291 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Bat Yam 2,170 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Bat Yam

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 Bat Yam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bat Yam cheaper than Budapest?
Budapest is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,432 in Budapest and $3,848 in Bat Yam 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.
What is the rent difference between Budapest and Bat Yam?
Rent for a central apartment: $805 in Budapest versus $1,349 in Bat Yam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Budapest or in Bat Yam?
Dining out is cheaper in Budapest – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $96.0 in Bat Yam. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Budapest and in Bat Yam?
All in, you'll spend $1,621 per month in Budapest versus $2,565 in Bat Yam – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Bat Yam?
At $1,621 in Budapest versus $2,565 in Bat Yam, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Bat Yam. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Budapest or Bat Yam more family-friendly?
For families, Budapest is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bat Yam, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Bat Yam?
Safety-wise, Budapest and Bat Yam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Budapest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Bat Yam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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