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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $1,163 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $1,704 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $2,245 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Budapest costs about 48% more than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Békéscsaba is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,473

$9.81 Ft 3,056

46.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 19.8K

$45.43 Ft 14.2K

39.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,499

$5.85 Ft 1,824

91.97%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,060

$2.21 Ft 689

53.85%

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

$2.14 Ft 668

$1.45 Ft 453

47.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 633

$0.94 Ft 292

115.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,164

$1.10 Ft 342

240.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,181

$1.28 Ft 400

196.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 382

$1.24 Ft 387

-0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 595

$1.58 Ft 491

20.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 805

$2.24 Ft 699

15.18%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,289

$3.44 Ft 1,073

20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,875

$10.11 Ft 3,151

22.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,150

$7.02 Ft 2,188

-1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,786

$15.02 Ft 4,681

2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 646

$2.08 Ft 648

-0.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 677

$2.26 Ft 705

-3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 778

$1.63 Ft 509

52.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,280

$2.88 Ft 899

42.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.03 Ft 320

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 311

$0.98 Ft 306

2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 495

$1.08 Ft 336

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 212

$0.54 Ft 168

25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,614

$8.45 Ft 2,634

-0.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 1,988

$3.16 Ft 984

101.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 415

$1.03 Ft 321

29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 702

$2.13 Ft 663

5.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 491

$1.28 Ft 400

23.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,970

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,112

$2.84 Ft 886

25.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 446

$1.39 Ft 432

2.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,416

$6.48 Ft 2,020

217.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 583

$1.94 Ft 603

-3.61%

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

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

$31.4K Ft 9.8M

1.16%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

0.09%

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

$173 Ft 54.1K

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

$25.97 Ft 8,094

$26.21 Ft 8,169

-0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 7,869

$22.64 Ft 7,057

11.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

$35.28 Ft 11.0K

103.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,985

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,043

$9.83 Ft 3,063

-0.71%

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

$577 Ft 179.8K

$558 Ft 174.0K

3.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

$17.1K Ft 5.3M

3.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.3K

$110 Ft 34.3K

-2.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

$31.77 Ft 9,902

39.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.3K

$63.6 Ft 19.8K

82.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.6K

$121 Ft 37.6K

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 267.5K

$432 Ft 134.6K

98.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 209.2K

$353 Ft 110.2K

89.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 521.1K

$574 Ft 178.8K

191.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 403.8K

$447 Ft 139.4K

189.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$1,591 Ft 495.9K

282.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$1,221 Ft 380.7K

240.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 532.5K

$1,430 Ft 445.7K

19.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $432 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 19% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $45.00 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $238 – 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 48% 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 $2,581 per month in Budapest and $1,744 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Budapest and $45.00 in Békéscsaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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 $1,163 versus $1,721 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.