Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Békéscsaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Békéscsaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Budapest vs $1,071 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,577 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,977 per month in Budapest vs $2,083 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Budapest costs about 34% more than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Békéscsaba is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 Ft 3,516

$5.84 Ft 1,818

93.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 Ft 17.8K

$40.92 Ft 12.7K

39.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 Ft 2,729

$8.42 Ft 2,621

4.16%

Cappuccino

$2.76 Ft 859

$2.02 Ft 629

36.63%

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

$1.79 Ft 556

$0.84 Ft 261

113.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 416

$0.87 Ft 272

54.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 Ft 886

$1.92 Ft 598

48.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 Ft 877

$1.17 Ft 365

141.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 379

$1.02 Ft 317

19.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.47 Ft 458

17.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 Ft 650

$1.77 Ft 552

18.08%

Eggs

$3.00 Ft 935

$2.71 Ft 844

10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 Ft 3,062

$8.48 Ft 2,637

16.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 Ft 1,950

$6.02 Ft 1,872

4.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 Ft 4,063

$12.33 Ft 3,836

5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 601

$1.40 Ft 436

37.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 619

$1.98 Ft 615

0.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 675

$1.47 Ft 456

47.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 Ft 1,143

$1.75 Ft 545

110.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 363

$1.03 Ft 319

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 389

$1.12 Ft 347

11.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 481

$0.59 Ft 185

162.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 181

$0.59 Ft 185

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,042

$6.94 Ft 2,159

-5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 Ft 1,732

$3.15 Ft 981

76.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 357

$0.70 Ft 218

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 540

$0.84 Ft 262

105.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 395

$1.16 Ft 361

9.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.08 Ft 8,114

$25.39 Ft 7,899

2.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 1,006

$2.62 Ft 814

23.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 351

$1.16 Ft 362

-2.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.09 Ft 5,939

$5.72 Ft 1,779

233.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 553

$1.75 Ft 545

1.71%

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

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

$24.6K Ft 7.6M

4.18%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.5M

$34.2K Ft 10.6M

-10.23%

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

$148 Ft 45.9K

$175 Ft 54.5K

-15.82%

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

$26.28 Ft 8,177

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.16 Ft 6,271

$19.73 Ft 6,139

2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 Ft 19.6K

$46.99 Ft 14.6K

33.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 Ft 6,986

$16.97 Ft 5,280

32.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,846

$7.09 Ft 2,207

29.06%

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

$463 Ft 144.2K

$326 Ft 101.6K

41.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K Ft 3.8M

$3,391 Ft 1.1M

263.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 Ft 26.1K

$54.4 Ft 16.9K

54.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 Ft 13.0K

$26.80 Ft 8,339

56.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 Ft 30.0K

$62.7 Ft 19.5K

53.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 33.3K

$66.0 Ft 20.5K

62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 229.5K

$454 Ft 141.2K

62.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 Ft 174.8K

$344 Ft 107.1K

63.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 Ft 414.4K

$631 Ft 196.4K

111.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 306.0K

$542 Ft 168.5K

81.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,023 Ft 1.9M

$1,620 Ft 504.0K

271.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,331 Ft 1.3M

$1,230 Ft 382.6K

252.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 Ft 543.6K

$1,442 Ft 448.8K

21.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

7.5

-6.27%

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

Last update for Budapest: April 21, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $454 in Békéscsaba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57 in Budapest versus $41 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $195 – making Békéscsaba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Békéscsaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest costs about 34% more than Békéscsaba, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Budapest and $1,607 in Békéscsaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Békéscsaba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Budapest and $41.00 in Békéscsaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,071, than in Budapest at $1,439. In Békéscsaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Békéscsaba costs $1,071 versus $1,439 in Budapest. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Békéscsaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.