Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Cheonan Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Cheonan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,274 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,957 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,640 in Cheonan, rent included.

Budapest costs about 14% more than Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Cheonan is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,520

$5.71 ₩8,745

101.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.4K

$21.99 ₩33.7K

158.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,653

$4.84 ₩7,420

78.93%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 848

$2.14 ₩3,283

29.44%

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

$1.80 Ft 551

$1.20 ₩1,845

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 409

$0.48 ₩735

177.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 862

$2.55 ₩3,900

10.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 856

$3.72 ₩5,696

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 370

$1.50 ₩2,295

-19.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 532

$3.52 ₩5,387

-50.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 639

$3.03 ₩4,644

-31.35%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 951

$1.73 ₩2,647

79.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,049

$10.60 ₩16.2K

-6.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,939

$8.33 ₩12.8K

-24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,085

$11.97 ₩18.3K

11.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 568

$7.33 ₩11.2K

-74.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 585

$2.50 ₩3,825

-23.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 665

$5.57 ₩8,541

-61.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,124

$5.31 ₩8,144

-30.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 346

$4.99 ₩7,651

-77.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 373

$2.95 ₩4,527

-58.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 474

$0.92 ₩1,411

68.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$1.06 ₩1,619

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,082

$3.29 ₩5,034

106.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,799

$16.68 ₩25.6K

-64.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 372

$1.77 ₩2,709

-31.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 530

$1.50 ₩2,296

15.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 393

$1.12 ₩1,712

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 8,010

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 999

$2.96 ₩4,528

10.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 346

$0.84 ₩1,289

34.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,892

$16.77 ₩25.7K

14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 536

$1.16 ₩1,780

50.86%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$27.8K ₩42.5M

-6.79%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$25.3K ₩38.7M

21.69%

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

$145 Ft 44.5K

$141 ₩215.5K

3.24%

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

$26.21 Ft 8,032

$50.6 ₩77.5K

-48.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,199

$9.97 ₩15.3K

102.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 19.0K

$48.28 ₩74.0K

28.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,776

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,804

$7.57 ₩11.6K

20.87%

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

$454 Ft 139.0K

$492 ₩754.0K

-7.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$14.1K ₩21.6M

-14.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.9K

$102 ₩156.0K

-16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$48.01 ₩73.6K

-12.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.4K

$74.2 ₩113.7K

29.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.7K

$110 ₩168.5K

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 220.2K

$453 ₩693.8K

58.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 169.4K

$378 ₩578.7K

46.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 415.3K

$1,072 ₩1.6M

26.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 301.4K

$774 ₩1.2M

27.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

$9,773 ₩15.0M

-38.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$5,779 ₩8.9M

-22.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 562.0K

$1,579 ₩2.4M

16.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

4.22

66.59%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $453 in Cheonan. 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 16% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $362 in Cheonan – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cheonan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,910 in Cheonan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheonan, 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 $57.0 in Budapest and $22.00 in Cheonan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 51% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheonan, where all-in costs run around $1,274, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Cheonan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheonan – 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 Cheonan. 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.