Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Beverly Hills, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $3,388 in Beverly Hills, CA, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Beverly Hills, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,388
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Beverly Hills, CA

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 Beverly Hills, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $3,388 in Beverly Hills, CA.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Beverly Hills, CA $3,388

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $6,180 in Beverly Hills, CA.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Beverly Hills, CA $6,180

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $8,972 in Beverly Hills, CA.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Beverly Hills, CA $8,972

Living in Budapest costs roughly 52% less than in Beverly Hills, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Budapest 20% above, Beverly Hills, CA 151% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$26.67 $26.67
-47.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$119 $119
-48.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$15.26 $15.26
-33.22%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$6.06 $6.06
-46.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$3.64 $3.64
-41.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$2.77 $2.77
-35.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$7.83 $7.83
-52.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$9.90 $9.90
-61.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.09 $1.09
5.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$4.89 $4.89
-63.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$4.73 $4.73
-47.36%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$5.62 $5.62
-30.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$11.34 $11.34
-2.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$15.89 $15.89
-58.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$19.49 $19.49
-24.63%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$5.18 $5.18
-64.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$2.33 $2.33
-12.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$4.65 $4.65
-49.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$5.43 $5.43
-28.18%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$3.24 $3.24
-69.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$2.81 $2.81
-64.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$2.00 $2.00
-21.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$2.44 $2.44
-72.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$13.19 $13.19
-39.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$14.84 $14.84
-58.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$2.94 $2.94
-56.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$2.77 $2.77
-26.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$3.13 $3.13
5.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$1.83 $1.83
-25.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$32.15 $32.15
-38.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.52 $1.52
19.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$36.4K $36.4K
-18.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$27.1K $27.1K
24.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$127 $127
34.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$78.1 $78.1
-69.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$76.8 $76.8
-69.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$15.23 $15.23
-38.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$1,699 $1,699
-68.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$32.0K $32.0K
-47.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$75.7 $75.7
31.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$50.7 $50.7
-14.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$99.2 $99.2
11.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$217 $217
-45.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$2,354 $2,354
-64.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$1,986 $1,986
-68.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$5,488 $5,488
-70.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$5,586 $5,586
-79.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Beverly Hills, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
6.86
-5.98%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Beverly Hills, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Beverly Hills, CA
$2K 219% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Beverly Hills, CA
$461 78.8% $203
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Beverly Hills, CA
$416 86.8% $193
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Beverly Hills, CA
$282 29.4% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Beverly Hills, CA
$199 19% $32
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Beverly Hills, CA
$30 * 64.6% $56
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Beverly Hills, CA
$12 * 72.3% $32

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $2,354 in Beverly Hills, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Budapest vs $119 in Beverly Hills, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $461 per month, with Budapest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇺🇸 Beverly Hills, CA
🕒 Local time
03:24 3:24 AM
18:24 6:24 PM
9 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
34,979
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Beverly Hills, CA 10,000 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Beverly Hills, CA

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 Beverly Hills, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Beverly Hills, CA cheaper than Budapest?
Budapest is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,428 in Budapest and $5,082 in Beverly Hills, CA 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 Beverly Hills, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $2,354 in Beverly Hills, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Budapest and in Beverly Hills, CA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Beverly Hills, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Budapest and in Beverly Hills, CA?
All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $3,388 in Beverly Hills, CA – a 109% 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 Beverly Hills, CA?
At $1,619 in Budapest versus $3,388 in Beverly Hills, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Budapest but tight or insufficient in Beverly Hills, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Budapest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Budapest or Beverly Hills, CA more family-friendly?
For families, Budapest is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beverly Hills, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Beverly Hills, CA?
Safety-wise, Budapest and Beverly Hills, CA 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 109% less than in Beverly Hills, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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