Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Daejeon

For one person, living is cheaper in Daejeon: $1,344 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Daejeon
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Daejeon Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Daejeon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,344

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Daejeon

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,344 in Daejeon, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Daejeon $1,344

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,104 in Daejeon, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Daejeon $2,104

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,865 in Daejeon, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Daejeon $2,865

Budapest costs about 20% more than Daejeon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Daejeon sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Daejeon by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$7.28 ₩9,678

91.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$36.77 ₩48.9K

66.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$5.57 ₩7,412

82.94%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.60 ₩4,784

-9.44%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.22 ₩1,622

75.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.65 ₩859

173.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$3.50 ₩4,659

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$3.70 ₩4,917

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.18 ₩2,900

-47.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$2.66 ₩3,542

-32.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$2.64 ₩3,514

-5.68%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.55 ₩3,385

52.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$10.92 ₩14.5K

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$8.24 ₩11.0K

-19.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$20.43 ₩27.2K

-28.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$11.12 ₩14.8K

-83.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$5.49 ₩7,300

-62.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$5.81 ₩7,732

-59.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$6.07 ₩8,072

-35.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$5.34 ₩7,102

-81.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$2.82 ₩3,744

-64.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.71 ₩2,273

-7.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$1.14 ₩1,510

-41.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.33 ₩4,426

139.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$18.90 ₩25.1K

-67.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.55 ₩3,393

-50.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.54 ₩4,712

-42.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.10 ₩1,456

38.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$11.09 ₩14.7K

152.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.31 ₩4,398

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.71 ₩950

92.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$16.82 ₩22.4K

17.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.23 ₩1,638

47.97%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$28.5K ₩37.8M

4.73%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$23.7K ₩31.6M

42.44%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$172 ₩228.4K

-0.40%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$42.96 ₩57.1K

-45.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$22.18 ₩29.5K

5.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$33.10 ₩44.0K

104.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$11.31 ₩15.0K

-17.77%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$304 ₩403.8K

75.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$21.9K ₩29.1M

-23.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$64.5 ₩85.8K

54.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$41.91 ₩55.7K

3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$92.4 ₩122.8K

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$107 ₩142.0K

11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$369 ₩490.2K

125.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$294 ₩391.3K

111.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,028 ₩1.4M

54.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$593 ₩788.5K

97.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$5,547 ₩7.4M

5.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$4,546 ₩6.0M

-14.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,336 ₩3.1M

-29.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.65

76.71%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Daejeon: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Daejeon

$294 21.9% 52.7% $328

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Daejeon

$446 33.2% 73.1% $188

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Daejeon

$151 11.2% 32.5% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Daejeon

$237 17.6% 8.7% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Daejeon

$138 10.2% 17.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Daejeon

$56 4.2% 35.3% $30

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Daejeon

$22 1.7% 49.5% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $369 in Daejeon. 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 42% higher in Daejeon, 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $37.00 in Daejeon. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $446 in Daejeon – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇰🇷 Daejeon

🕒 Local time

23:03 11:03 PM

06:03 6:03 AM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,537,324

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

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).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Daejeon 8,290 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

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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 Daejeon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $2,016 in Daejeon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daejeon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 153% less in Daejeon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $304 in Daejeon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daejeon, where all-in costs run around $1,344, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Daejeon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Daejeon – 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 Daejeon. 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.