Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Butuan

For one person, living is cheaper in Butuan: $578 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Butuan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$578
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Butuan

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $578 in Butuan, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Butuan $578

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $913 in Butuan, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Butuan $913

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,248 in Butuan, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Butuan $1,248

Budapest costs about 180% more than Butuan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Butuan is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$4.67 ₱294
198.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$26.83 ₱1,689
128.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$2.41 ₱152
322.82%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$2.09 ₱131
55.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$0.33 ₱21.01
548.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.23 ₱14.47
673.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$1.57 ₱98.8
136.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$2.46 ₱155
53.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.95 ₱123
-41.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.09 ₱68.9
64.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$0.87 ₱55.0
186.21%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$1.86 ₱117
109.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$6.21 ₱391
78.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$4.84 ₱305
36.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$9.32 ₱587
57.62%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$2.68 ₱169
-31.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$1.11 ₱69.7
84.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$2.42 ₱152
-2.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$1.20 ₱75.8
225.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$2.02 ₱127
-50.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$3.51 ₱221
-71.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.25 ₱79.0
26.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.67 ₱42.40
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$2.39 ₱150
233.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$8.13 ₱512
-23.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$1.25 ₱78.7
1.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$1.69 ₱106
20.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Butuan
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
$0.78 ₱49.31
324.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$0.25 ₱15.83
448.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$1.96 ₱123
911.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.05 ₱66.1
73.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
40.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$19.0K ₱1.2M
77.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$107 ₱6,745
59.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$18.89 ₱1,189
24.46%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$30.87 ₱1,944
-24.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$23.85 ₱1,502
183.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$4.37 ₱275
112.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$108 ₱6,790
394.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$7,696 ₱484.6K
117.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$61.7 ₱3,885
61.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$31.28 ₱1,970
39.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$71.8 ₱4,523
53.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$62.2 ₱3,916
91.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Butuan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-
-
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
Butuan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
8.31
-22.38%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Butuan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Butuan
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Butuan
$200 22.5% $58
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Butuan
$85 62% $138
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Butuan
$157 28% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Butuan
$102 39% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Butuan
$33 62.2% $54
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Butuan
$2 * 95.4% $42

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $27.00 in Butuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $200 – making Butuan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇵🇭 Butuan
🕒 Local time
21:03 9:03 PM
03:03 3:03 AM
6 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
337,063
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Butuan 10,480 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Butuan

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 Butuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Butuan cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 180%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $867 in Butuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Budapest or in Butuan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $27.00 in Butuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Budapest and in Butuan?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Butuan?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Butuan, where all-in costs run around $578, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Butuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Butuan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Butuan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Butuan?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Butuan. 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.

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