Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Fukuoka

For one person, living is cheaper in Fukuoka: $1,259 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 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
61

Cost of Living Index in Fukuoka
Learn more

Fukuoka Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Fukuoka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,259

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Fukuoka

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,259 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Fukuoka $1,259

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,001 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Fukuoka $2,001

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,743 in Fukuoka, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Fukuoka $2,743

Budapest costs about 29% more than Fukuoka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Fukuoka is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$7.20 ¥1,138

93.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$42.93 ¥6,783

42.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$5.84 ¥922

74.49%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.77 ¥596

-13.53%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.03 ¥163

107.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.70 ¥111

154.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$3.79 ¥599

-2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$2.18 ¥344

72.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.54 ¥243

-25.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.91 ¥302

-6.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$6.64 ¥1,050

-62.50%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.29 ¥362

70.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$18.31 ¥2,893

-39.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$5.40 ¥853

22.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$19.00 ¥3,002

-22.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.54 ¥560

-48.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.81 ¥287

13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$2.87 ¥453

-17.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$3.36 ¥531

16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$2.15 ¥340

-53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$2.59 ¥409

-61.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.02 ¥161

54.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.93 ¥147

-27.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.79 ¥599

110.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$6.49 ¥1,025

-4.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.71 ¥270

-25.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.81 ¥286

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.47 ¥232

3.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$41.37 ¥6,537

-32.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.91 ¥618

-15.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$2.09 ¥331

-34.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$17.67 ¥2,792

12.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.11 ¥175

63.96%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$21.5K ¥3.4M

38.39%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$17.6K ¥2.8M

91.95%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$207 ¥32.8K

-17.48%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$25.04 ¥3,955

-6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$32.65 ¥5,159

-28.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$53.8 ¥8,506

25.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$10.91 ¥1,724

-14.76%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$126 ¥19.8K

324.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$12.4K ¥2.0M

35.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$49.44 ¥7,811

101.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$25.89 ¥4,090

67.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$67.1 ¥10.6K

64.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$48.07 ¥7,594

147.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$486 ¥76.8K

70.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$303 ¥47.8K

105.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,233 ¥194.8K

29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$730 ¥115.4K

60.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$6,329 ¥1.0M

-7.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$2,696 ¥425.9K

44.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$1,657 ¥261.8K

-0.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

1.97

227.41%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Fukuoka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Fukuoka

$303 24% 51.3% $319

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Fukuoka

$318 25.3% 23.3% $60

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Fukuoka

$151 12% 32.5% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Fukuoka

$265 21.1% 21.6% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Fukuoka

$86 6.8% 48.9% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Fukuoka

$76 6% 12.1% $10

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Fukuoka

$62 4.9% 39.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $486 in Fukuoka. 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 0% higher in Fukuoka, 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 $43.00 in Fukuoka. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $318 in Fukuoka – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇯🇵 Fukuoka

🕒 Local time

12:02 12:02 PM

19:02 7:02 PM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,612,392

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Fukuoka 8,710 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Fukuoka

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 Fukuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,889 in Fukuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 48% less in Fukuoka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $126 in Fukuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fukuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,259, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Fukuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Fukuoka – 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 Fukuoka. 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.