Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Bulacan

For one person, living is cheaper in Bulacan: $638 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Bulacan
Learn more

Bulacan Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Bulacan

🇵🇭 Philippines

$638

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Bulacan

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $638 in Bulacan, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Bulacan $638

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $927 in Bulacan, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Bulacan $927

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,215 in Bulacan, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Bulacan $1,215

Budapest costs about 154% more than Bulacan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Bulacan is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$2.00 ₱126

597.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$15.88 ₱1,000

285.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$2.71 ₱171

276.01%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$1.79 ₱112

82.12%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.44 ₱27.72

386.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.26 ₱16.39

584.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$0.93 ₱58.4

298.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$1.60 ₱101

135.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.61 ₱102

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.16 ₱73.1

54.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$0.95 ₱60.1

162.11%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.79 ₱113

117.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$2.80 ₱176

296.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$3.45 ₱217

91.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$6.03 ₱380

143.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$2.06 ₱130

-11.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.56 ₱98.2

31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$1.99 ₱125

19.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.04 ₱65.4

275.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.61 ₱101

-38.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.73 ₱109

-42.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.62 ₱39.14

154.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.49 ₱31.07

36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.04 ₱191

161.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$3.53 ₱222

76.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$0.89 ₱56.3

42.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.56 ₱98.1

30.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.19 ₱11.81

700.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$6.68 ₱421

319.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.69 ₱43.19

379.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.15 ₱9.67

813.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$1.87 ₱118

960.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.06 ₱66.7

71.70%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$21.7K ₱1.4M

37.47%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$16.4K ₱1.0M

106.38%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$112 ₱7,031

53.24%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$17.26 ₱1,087

36.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$23.39 ₱1,472

-0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$37.17 ₱2,340

81.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$0.78 ₱49.15

2321.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$5.09 ₱320

82.71%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$96.7 ₱6,088

451.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$941 ₱59.3K

1680.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$28.48 ₱1,793

249.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$19.39 ₱1,221

124.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$75.5 ₱4,756

46.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$55.5 ₱3,493

114.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$237 ₱14.9K

249.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$146 ₱9,223

324.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$385 ₱24.2K

313.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$215 ₱13.5K

445.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,879 ₱118.3K

210.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,458 ₱91.8K

166.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$290 ₱18.2K

470.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.75

-4.44%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bulacan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Bulacan

$146 23% 76.4% $475

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Bulacan

$147 23% 43.2% $111

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Bulacan

$56 8.8% 74.8% $167

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Bulacan

$152 23.9% 30.1% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Bulacan

$81 12.6% 52% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Bulacan

$47 7.4% 45% $39

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Bulacan

$8.9 1.4% 79.9% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $237 in Bulacan. 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 470% 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $16.00 in Bulacan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $147 – making Bulacan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇵🇭 Bulacan

🕒 Local time

22:11 10:11 PM

04:11 4:11 AM

6 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

3,700,000

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Bulacan 9,660 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Bulacan

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 Bulacan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 154%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $958 in Bulacan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulacan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 319% less in Bulacan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $96.7 in Bulacan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bulacan, where all-in costs run around $638, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Bulacan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulacan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bulacan. 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.