Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Chicago, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $18,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,169

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Chicago, IL

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $3,169 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Chicago, IL $3,169

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $4,682 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Chicago, IL $4,682

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $6,196 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Chicago, IL $6,196

Budapest is about 49% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

$21.62 $21.62

-35.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

$91.2 $91.2

-33.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$13.09 $13.09

-23.91%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

$5.78 $5.78

-41.52%

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

$2.13 Ft 693

$2.64 $2.64

-19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

$2.28 $2.28

-17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$6.94 $6.94

-45.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

$8.93 $8.93

-60.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$1.27 $1.27

-11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

$3.94 $3.94

-53.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$4.96 $4.96

-51.81%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$4.64 $4.64

-17.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

$13.97 $13.97

-18.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

$14.37 $14.37

-53.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

$18.59 $18.59

-20.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

$5.37 $5.37

-65.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

$1.93 $1.93

4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$4.01 $4.01

-41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

$4.94 $4.94

-23.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

$2.80 $2.80

-65.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

$2.76 $2.76

-62.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$2.16 $2.16

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$3.12 $3.12

-78.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

$15.71 $15.71

-49.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

$15.23 $15.23

-60.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

$2.57 $2.57

-49.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

$3.48 $3.48

-40.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

$2.48 $2.48

-39.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

$74.4 $74.4

-62.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

$3.23 $3.23

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.43 $1.43

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

$24.33 $24.33

-18.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$1.25 $1.25

44.80%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

$35.9K $35.9K

-18.26%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$26.0K $26.0K

31.26%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$195 $195

-12.66%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

$69.0 $69.0

-65.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

$62.1 $62.1

-62.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$54.5 $54.5

21.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

$27.80 $27.80

-31.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

$17.84 $17.84

-46.64%

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

$1,513 $1,513

-64.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$31.1K $31.1K

-46.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$68.1 $68.1

48.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$51.6 $51.6

-16.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$101 $101

11.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

$141 $141

-15.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

$2,437 $2,437

-66.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

$1,662 $1,662

-62.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

$4,644 $4,644

-66.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

$2,751 $2,751

-57.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$4,036 $4,036

39.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$2,677 $2,677

48.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

$4,861 $4,861

-66.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.77

-5.02%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53% 164% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Chicago, IL

$450 14.3% 74.5% $192

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Chicago, IL

$354 11.3% 57.8% $130

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.4% 49.8% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Chicago, IL

$163 5.2% 3.6% $6.1

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 5.7% $4.9

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 118% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $2,437 in Chicago, IL. 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 199% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $60.0 in Budapest versus $91.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $450 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:43 4:43 AM

21:43 9:43 PM

7 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

2,746,388

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Chicago, IL 7,740 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budapest vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chicago, IL is pricier by about 95%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $4,753 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 169% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $1,513 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Chicago, IL at $3,169. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.