Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hamamatsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hamamatsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,097 in Hamamatsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,804 in Hamamatsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,511 in Hamamatsu, rent included.

Budapest costs about 32% more than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Hamamatsu is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,520

$4.93 ¥788

133.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.4K

$42.10 ¥6,734

34.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,653

$3.41 ¥545

153.96%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 848

$3.10 ¥496

-10.65%

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

$1.80 Ft 551

$0.70 ¥113

157.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 409

$0.82 ¥131

62.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 862

$2.06 ¥329

36.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 856

$2.75 ¥440

1.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 370

$1.52 ¥243

-20.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 532

$1.66 ¥266

4.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 639

$4.78 ¥764

-56.49%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 951

$1.76 ¥281

76.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,049

$9.91 ¥1,585

0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,939

$6.23 ¥997

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,085

$15.13 ¥2,420

-11.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 568

$4.14 ¥663

-55.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 585

$2.04 ¥327

-6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 665

$3.50 ¥560

-38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,124

$4.06 ¥650

-9.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 346

$3.32 ¥531

-65.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 373

$4.39 ¥703

-72.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 474

$1.34 ¥214

15.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$0.81 ¥129

-34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,082

$3.56 ¥570

90.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,799

$9.54 ¥1,525

-38.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 372

$1.75 ¥280

-30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 530

$2.12 ¥339

-18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 393

$1.07 ¥171

19.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 8,010

$56.3 ¥9,011

-53.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 999

$3.57 ¥570

-8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 346

$2.97 ¥475

-61.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,892

$22.02 ¥3,522

-12.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 536

$1.16 ¥186

50.86%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$20.5K ¥3.3M

26.28%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$14.0K ¥2.2M

119.35%

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

$145 Ft 44.5K

$107 ¥17.1K

35.68%

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

$26.21 Ft 8,032

$9.91 ¥1,584

164.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,199

$20.68 ¥3,308

-2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 19.0K

$106 ¥16.9K

-41.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,776

$18.96 ¥3,032

16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,804

$13.54 ¥2,166

-32.42%

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

$454 Ft 139.0K

$286 ¥45.8K

58.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$13.9K ¥2.2M

-13.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.9K

$42.03 ¥6,723

101.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$27.32 ¥4,370

53.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.4K

$55.3 ¥8,840

73.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.7K

$105 ¥16.8K

1.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 220.2K

$377 ¥60.3K

90.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 169.4K

$241 ¥38.6K

128.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 415.3K

$881 ¥140.9K

53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 301.4K

$596 ¥95.3K

65.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

$7,856 ¥1.3M

-23.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$5,329 ¥852.4K

-16.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 562.0K

$1,231 ¥196.9K

49.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

0.95

640.00%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $377 in Hamamatsu. 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 49% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $42.00 in Hamamatsu. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $297 in Hamamatsu – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hamamatsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,645 in Hamamatsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 116% less in Hamamatsu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $286 in Hamamatsu. 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 Hamamatsu, where all-in costs run around $1,097, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Hamamatsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hamamatsu – 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 Hamamatsu. 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.