Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Dagupan

For one person, living is cheaper in Dagupan: $743 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Dagupan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$743
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Dagupan

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $743 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Dagupan $743

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,105 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Dagupan $1,105

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,467 in Dagupan, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Dagupan $1,467

Budapest costs about 118% more than Dagupan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Dagupan is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$2.90 ₱183
380.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$11.98 ₱754
411.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$4.50 ₱284
126.44%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$2.47 ₱156
31.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$0.50 ₱31.41
328.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.23 ₱14.46
673.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$1.17 ₱73.6
217.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$2.73 ₱172
38.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.77 ₱112
-35.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.27 ₱80.2
40.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$0.89 ₱55.8
179.78%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$1.84 ₱116
111.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$5.69 ₱358
95.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$4.83 ₱304
37.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$6.85 ₱431
114.45%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$3.97 ₱250
-53.90%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$2.00 ₱126
2.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$2.67 ₱168
-11.24%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$1.13 ₱71.2
245.13%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$2.88 ₱181
-65.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$3.48 ₱219
-71.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.07 ₱67.2
47.66%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.57 ₱35.93
17.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$2.45 ₱155
224.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$5.53 ₱348
12.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$0.89 ₱56.2
42.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$1.87 ₱118
8.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$0.20 ₱12.59
660.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$0.66 ₱41.67
401.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$0.23 ₱14.54
495.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$1.88 ₱118
954.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.14 ₱71.5
59.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$21.2K ₱1.3M
40.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$19.7K ₱1.2M
71.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$104 ₱6,560
64.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$15.84 ₱997
48.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$25.82 ₱1,626
-9.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$33.96 ₱2,138
98.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$5.13 ₱323
81.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$786 ₱49.5K
-32.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$7,469 ₱470.3K
124.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$60.6 ₱3,814
64.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$7.86 ₱495
453.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$80.6 ₱5,075
36.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$102 ₱6,411
16.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$194 ₱12.2K
327.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$159 ₱10.0K
290.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$364 ₱22.9K
337.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$271 ₱17.0K
332.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$479 ₱30.2K
711.05%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Dagupan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$239 ₱15.0K
592.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
7.5
-14.00%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Dagupan: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Dagupan
$159 74.4% $463
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Dagupan
$197 23.5% $61
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Dagupan
$81 63.8% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Dagupan
$146 33.1% $72
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Dagupan
$113 32.6% $55
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Dagupan
$44 48.7% $42
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Dagupan
$2.6 * 94.1% $42

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $194 in Dagupan. 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 592% 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 $12.00 in Dagupan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $197 – making Dagupan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇵🇭 Dagupan
🕒 Local time
20:00 8:00 PM
02:00 2:00 AM
6 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
174,302
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

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).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.79 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Dagupan 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Dagupan

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 Dagupan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dagupan cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 118%, 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 $1,114 in Dagupan. 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 Dagupan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Budapest or in Dagupan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $12.00 in Dagupan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Budapest and in Dagupan?
Groceries cost about 31% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Dagupan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dagupan, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Dagupan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Dagupan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Dagupan – 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 Dagupan?
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 Dagupan. 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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