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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $1,403 in Cheonan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $2,204 in Cheonan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $3,005 in Cheonan, rent included.

Budapest costs about 23% more than Cheonan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Budapest and Cheonan sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Cheonan by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,465

$7.36 ₩9,982

94.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 19.7K

$21.53 ₩29.2K

194.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,493

$4.20 ₩5,692

167.38%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,058

$1.47 ₩1,994

131.29%

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

$2.14 Ft 667

$1.14 ₩1,544

87.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 632

$1.35 ₩1,830

50.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,162

$2.20 ₩2,986

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,179

$4.21 ₩5,704

-9.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.55 ₩2,104

-20.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 593

$3.16 ₩4,285

-39.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 803

$2.98 ₩4,042

-13.42%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,287

$2.59 ₩3,516

59.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,868

$10.71 ₩14.5K

16.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,146

$10.11 ₩13.7K

-31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,777

$24.13 ₩32.7K

-36.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 645

$10.67 ₩14.5K

-80.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 676

$3.51 ₩4,757

-38.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 776

$7.99 ₩10.8K

-68.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,278

$5.60 ₩7,586

-26.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 322

$5.71 ₩7,741

-81.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 310

$3.14 ₩4,263

-68.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 494

$2.79 ₩3,780

-43.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 212

$1.31 ₩1,771

-48.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,609

$3.26 ₩4,425

157.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 1,984

$17.74 ₩24.1K

-64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 414

$2.39 ₩3,242

-44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 701

$3.37 ₩4,570

-33.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 491

$1.10 ₩1,485

43.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,954

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,110

$2.88 ₩3,904

23.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 445

$0.75 ₩1,017

90.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,405

$16.10 ₩21.8K

27.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 582

$1.18 ₩1,604

58.47%

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

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

$28.9K ₩39.2M

10.00%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

$32.8K ₩44.5M

9.60%

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

$173 Ft 54.0K

$191 ₩259.2K

-9.26%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,080

$34.82 ₩47.2K

-25.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 7,855

$25.91 ₩35.1K

-2.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

$54.9 ₩74.5K

30.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,975

$11.69 ₩15.8K

64.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,038

$11.64 ₩15.8K

-16.15%

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

$577 Ft 179.5K

$611 ₩828.3K

-5.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

$20.7K ₩28.1M

-14.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.2K

$66.4 ₩90.0K

60.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

$58.2 ₩78.9K

-23.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.2K

$90.6 ₩122.8K

28.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$125 ₩169.9K

-3.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 267.1K

$426 ₩577.5K

101.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 208.8K

$341 ₩462.6K

96.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 520.1K

$1,111 ₩1.5M

50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 403.1K

$704 ₩954.6K

84.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$7,494 ₩10.2M

-18.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$5,453 ₩7.4M

-23.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 531.6K

$1,755 ₩2.4M

-2.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

4.22

58.29%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cheonan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $426 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 3% higher in Cheonan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Budapest versus $22.00 in Cheonan. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Budapest vs $463 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 23%, 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 $2,581 per month in Budapest and $2,104 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 $63.0 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 69% 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 $1,403, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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.