Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Bradford

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,040 in Bradford, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Bradford
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,040
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Bradford

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 Bradford actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $2,040 in Bradford, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Bradford $2,040

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,987 in Bradford, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Bradford $2,987

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $3,933 in Bradford, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Bradford $3,933

Budapest is about 21% cheaper than Bradford, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Budapest and Bradford sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Bradford by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$20.85 £15.64
-33.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$76.5 £57.4
-20.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$10.59 £7.94
-3.78%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$4.34 £3.26
-24.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$2.39 £1.80
-10.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$2.01 £1.51
-11.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$6.08 £4.56
-38.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$5.36 £4.02
-29.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.47 £1.10
-21.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.45 £1.09
23.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$2.86 £2.15
-12.94%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$3.98 £2.99
-2.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$8.58 £6.44
29.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$8.63 £6.47
-23.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$14.16 £10.62
3.74%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$3.12 £2.34
-41.35%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$1.92 £1.44
6.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$2.77 £2.08
-14.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$3.33 £2.50
17.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.81 £1.36
-45.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$1.70 £1.28
-41.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.21 £0.91
30.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$1.61 £1.21
-58.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$20.57 £15.43
-61.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$10.43 £7.82
-40.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$3.32 £2.49
-61.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$3.27 £2.46
-37.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$2.72 £2.04
-44.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$66.2 £49.66
-57.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$4.37 £3.28
-24.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$1.43 £1.07
-4.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$19.79 £14.85
0.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.99 £1.50
-8.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$38.5K £28.9K
-22.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$40.6K £30.5K
-16.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$339 £254
-49.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$20.18 £15.14
16.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$42.92 £32.20
-45.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$35.11 £26.34
92.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$19.41 £14.56
-2.68%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$13.40 £10.06
-30.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$1,195 £897
-55.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$22.2K £16.6K
-24.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$87.4 £65.6
13.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$45.64 £34.24
-4.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$90.8 £68.1
21.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$90.4 £67.8
31.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$845 £634
-1.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$738 £553
-15.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$1,347 £1,011
18.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$1,174 £881
-0.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$4,048 £3,037
44.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$2,916 £2,188
33.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Bradford
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$3,406 £2,555
-51.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
4.99
29.26%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bradford: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Bradford
$738 18.6% $116
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Bradford
$300 16.2% $42
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Bradford
$309 38.7% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Bradford
$402 84.4% $184
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Bradford
$141 15.6% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Bradford
$62 28.1% $24
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Bradford
$89 100% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $845 in Bradford. 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 106% higher in Bradford, 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $77.0 in Bradford. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $300 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇬🇧 Bradford
🕒 Local time
06:41 6:41 AM
05:41 5:41 AM
1 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
293,717
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, 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).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Bradford 1,620 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Bradford

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 Bradford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Budapest and in Bradford compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,619 in Budapest, $2,040 in Bradford – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Budapest compared to Bradford?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $3,061 in Bradford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Budapest and Bradford?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 16% more in Bradford, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $77.0 in Bradford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Bradford at $2,040. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bradford it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Budapest and Bradford?
It depends on your priorities. Budapest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,619 in Budapest to $2,040 in Bradford. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Budapest or Bradford safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Budapest and Bradford?
If budget matters most, go with Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bradford makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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