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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,072 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,587 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,101 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Budapest costs about 35% more than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Békéscsaba is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,542

$5.78 Ft 1,782

98.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.5K

$40.94 Ft 12.6K

38.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,670

$8.51 Ft 2,624

1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 853

$1.98 Ft 611

39.90%

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

$1.80 Ft 554

$0.83 Ft 257

116.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 411

$0.84 Ft 260

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 868

$1.85 Ft 571

51.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 862

$1.17 Ft 360

138.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 372

$1.01 Ft 313

19.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 535

$1.40 Ft 431

24.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 643

$1.70 Ft 524

22.35%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 957

$2.70 Ft 832

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,068

$8.76 Ft 2,700

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,951

$6.17 Ft 1,902

2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,111

$12.36 Ft 3,812

7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 571

$1.43 Ft 440

29.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 588

$1.97 Ft 608

-3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 669

$1.40 Ft 432

55.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,131

$1.77 Ft 545

107.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 348

$1.02 Ft 315

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 375

$1.18 Ft 363

3.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 477

$0.60 Ft 186

158.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 164

$0.56 Ft 172

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,095

$6.93 Ft 2,137

-2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,810

$3.18 Ft 979

84.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 375

$0.70 Ft 217

74.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 533

$0.85 Ft 262

103.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 396

$1.12 Ft 345

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 8,060

$24.89 Ft 7,673

5.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,005

$2.65 Ft 817

23.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 348

$1.13 Ft 347

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,929

$5.72 Ft 1,763

236.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 539

$1.69 Ft 520

3.55%

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

$25.9K Ft 8.0M

$24.8K Ft 7.6M

4.44%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.5M

$33.9K Ft 10.5M

-9.36%

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

$145 Ft 44.8K

$173 Ft 53.3K

-16.03%

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

$26.21 Ft 8,082

$26.88 Ft 8,288

-2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,237

$19.98 Ft 6,161

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 19.1K

$46.42 Ft 14.3K

33.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,818

$17.01 Ft 5,245

29.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,822

$7.34 Ft 2,262

24.66%

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

$454 Ft 139.9K

$336 Ft 103.6K

34.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

248.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.1K

$54.9 Ft 16.9K

54.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.9K

$27.50 Ft 8,478

52.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.6K

$63.6 Ft 19.6K

50.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.9K

$67.3 Ft 20.8K

58.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 221.6K

$455 Ft 140.2K

58.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 170.5K

$348 Ft 107.2K

59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 417.9K

$627 Ft 193.3K

116.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 303.3K

$541 Ft 166.7K

81.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

$1,625 Ft 501.0K

271.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$1,243 Ft 383.2K

259.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 565.5K

$1,453 Ft 448.0K

26.21%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $455 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 26% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $41.00 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 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 35% 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 $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,608 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 $1,072, than in Budapest at $1,450. 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 $1,072 versus $1,450 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.