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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,433 per month in Budapest vs $1,057 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,227 per month in Budapest vs $1,590 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,021 per month in Budapest vs $2,122 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Budapest costs about 36% more than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Békéscsaba is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.38 Ft 3,624

$5.92 Ft 1,887

92.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.6 Ft 18.3K

$39.91 Ft 12.7K

44.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.69 Ft 2,769

$8.83 Ft 2,813

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$2.88 Ft 917

$1.97 Ft 628

46.19%

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

$1.73 Ft 550

$0.88 Ft 281

96.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 Ft 432

$0.83 Ft 263

63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Ft 926

$1.90 Ft 606

53.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 Ft 904

$1.14 Ft 362

149.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 391

$1.01 Ft 323

21.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 533

$1.43 Ft 456

16.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 Ft 687

$1.78 Ft 567

21.35%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 988

$2.73 Ft 870

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 Ft 3,152

$8.83 Ft 2,812

12.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 Ft 1,927

$6.18 Ft 1,970

-2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 Ft 4,290

$12.68 Ft 4,039

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 586

$1.43 Ft 455

28.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Ft 627

$1.97 Ft 626

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 Ft 687

$1.45 Ft 462

48.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 Ft 1,110

$1.69 Ft 538

106.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 362

$0.99 Ft 315

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 398

$1.18 Ft 375

5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 491

$0.56 Ft 177

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 183

$0.60 Ft 192

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 Ft 2,195

$7.11 Ft 2,264

-3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 Ft 1,877

$3.18 Ft 1,014

85.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 Ft 371

$0.70 Ft 222

67.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 527

$0.84 Ft 267

97.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 405

$1.17 Ft 373

8.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.53 Ft 8,132

$24.70 Ft 7,867

3.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 Ft 1,005

$2.60 Ft 830

21.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

$1.15 Ft 368

-2.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 6,126

$5.81 Ft 1,851

230.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 578

$1.69 Ft 538

7.10%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.2M

$24.7K Ft 7.9M

4.14%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.8M

$34.2K Ft 10.9M

-9.73%

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

$146 Ft 46.4K

$176 Ft 56.0K

-17.14%

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

$25.67 Ft 8,177

$26.78 Ft 8,530

-4.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.04 Ft 6,384

$19.34 Ft 6,159

3.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 Ft 20.0K

$47.69 Ft 15.2K

31.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.85 Ft 6,959

$17.10 Ft 5,447

27.78%

Cinema Ticket

$8.77 Ft 2,793

$7.24 Ft 2,308

21.13%

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

$449 Ft 142.9K

$326 Ft 104.0K

37.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

$3,392 Ft 1.1M

256.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 27.4K

$55.9 Ft 17.8K

53.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.71 Ft 13.3K

$27.56 Ft 8,778

51.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 Ft 30.3K

$63.0 Ft 20.1K

50.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 33.9K

$66.4 Ft 21.1K

60.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 Ft 231.1K

$448 Ft 142.7K

61.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 Ft 173.8K

$342 Ft 109.0K

59.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 Ft 421.0K

$645 Ft 205.6K

104.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 Ft 309.9K

$529 Ft 168.6K

83.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,803 Ft 1.8M

$1,601 Ft 510.1K

262.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,252 Ft 1.4M

$1,218 Ft 388.1K

249.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,758 Ft 559.9K

$1,396 Ft 444.8K

25.89%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Budapest versus $448 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 $58.0 in Budapest versus $40.00 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $197 – 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 36% 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 $2,150 per month in Budapest and $1,585 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 20% 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 $58.0 in Budapest and $40.00 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 $1,057, than in Budapest at $1,433. 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 $1,057 versus $1,433 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.