Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Colima

For one person, living is cheaper in Colima: $952 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Colima
🇲🇽 Mexico
$952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Colima

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $952 in Colima, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Colima $952

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,562 in Colima, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Colima $1,562

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,173 in Colima, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Colima $2,173

Budapest costs about 70% more than Colima, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Colima is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Colima
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$7.58 MX$140
83.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$33.52 MX$619
82.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$7.16 MX$132
42.32%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$2.24 MX$41.33
45.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$1.00 MX$18.48
114.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.84 MX$15.45
111.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$2.23 MX$41.16
66.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$2.45 MX$45.24
53.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Colima
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.55 MX$28.57
-25.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$2.64 MX$48.76
-32.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$1.21 MX$22.40
105.79%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$2.76 MX$51.0
41.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$8.01 MX$148
38.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$8.35 MX$154
-20.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$9.86 MX$182
48.99%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$2.85 MX$52.7
-35.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$1.44 MX$26.63
42.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$1.78 MX$32.82
33.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$2.26 MX$41.70
72.57%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$2.30 MX$42.50
-56.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$2.30 MX$42.58
-56.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.43 MX$26.36
10.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$1.09 MX$20.09
-38.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$3.61 MX$66.8
120.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$6.76 MX$125
-7.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$1.56 MX$28.83
-18.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$1.77 MX$32.64
14.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Colima
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$0.63 MX$11.73
141.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$19.51 MX$361
43.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$2.40 MX$44.35
37.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$2.82 MX$52.1
-51.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$9.41 MX$174
110.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.43 MX$26.45
27.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$20.9K MX$386.3K
42.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$22.7K MX$419.1K
49.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Colima
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$64.9 MX$1,198
163.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$20.24 MX$374
16.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$29.71 MX$549
-21.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Colima
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$35.28 MX$652
91.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$21.72 MX$401
-13.03%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$4.63 MX$85.6
100.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Colima
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$147 MX$2,712
263.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$2,496 MX$46.1K
571.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Colima
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$45.09 MX$833
120.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$25.11 MX$464
73.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$74.1 MX$1,369
48.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$102 MX$1,884
16.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Colima
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$262 MX$4,849
216.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$261 MX$4,831
137.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$369 MX$6,826
331.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$589 MX$10.9K
98.75%
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
Colima
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$287 MX$5,301
475.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
11.3
-42.92%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Colima: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Colima
$261 58% $361
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Colima
$250 3.3% $8.4
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Colima
$132 40.6% $91
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Colima
$115 47.3% $103
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Colima
$111 33.9% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Colima
$45 48.3% $42
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Colima
$39 12.9% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $262 in Colima. 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 476% 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 $34.00 in Colima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $250 – making Colima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇲🇽 Colima
🕒 Local time
06:57 6:57 AM
22:57 10:57 PM
8 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
146,965
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Colima 10,660 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Colima

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colima cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,428 in Colima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Colima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 44% less in Colima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $147 in Colima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Colima?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Colima, where all-in costs run around $952, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Colima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Colima more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Colima – 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 Colima?
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 Colima. 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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