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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,102 in Hamamatsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $1,828 in Hamamatsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $2,554 in Hamamatsu, rent included.

Budapest costs about 33% more than Hamamatsu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 10% above the global median, while Hamamatsu is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,637

$4.80 ¥780

139.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$41.52 ¥6,745

35.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,767

$3.44 ¥559

153.78%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 903

$3.18 ¥517

-10.38%

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

$1.74 Ft 550

$0.67 ¥109

159.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 415

$0.82 ¥132

59.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 886

$2.04 ¥332

37.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 929

$2.72 ¥442

7.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 401

$1.46 ¥237

-13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 554

$1.67 ¥271

4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 670

$5.03 ¥818

-58.05%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,002

$1.74 ¥283

81.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,139

$10.10 ¥1,640

-1.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,002

$6.22 ¥1,010

1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,303

$15.67 ¥2,547

-13.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 604

$4.23 ¥688

-54.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 633

$2.14 ¥348

-6.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 682

$3.42 ¥556

-37.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,137

$4.08 ¥662

-12.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 356

$3.35 ¥544

-66.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 382

$4.15 ¥675

-70.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 488

$1.39 ¥226

10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$0.87 ¥142

-36.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,152

$3.37 ¥547

101.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,831

$9.26 ¥1,504

-37.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 380

$1.76 ¥285

-31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 523

$2.05 ¥334

-19.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 403

$1.05 ¥171

20.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,220

$56.5 ¥9,179

-54.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,032

$3.37 ¥547

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 355

$3.00 ¥488

-62.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,087

$21.98 ¥3,572

-12.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 559

$1.16 ¥189

51.72%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

$20.4K ¥3.3M

28.72%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

122.55%

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

$144 Ft 45.5K

$109 ¥17.6K

32.32%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,343

$9.86 ¥1,602

167.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,357

$20.44 ¥3,320

-1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

$104 ¥16.8K

-39.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,929

$19.04 ¥3,094

14.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,820

$13.57 ¥2,204

-34.41%

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

$450 Ft 142.7K

$286 ¥46.5K

57.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-11.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.8K

$42.33 ¥6,877

99.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$27.42 ¥4,455

55.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.1K

$54.8 ¥8,902

79.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.8K

$105 ¥17.1K

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 226.6K

$387 ¥62.9K

84.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 177.5K

$245 ¥39.7K

129.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 424.2K

$858 ¥139.3K

56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 307.6K

$600 ¥97.5K

61.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

$4,305 ¥699.5K

40.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

$2,093 ¥340.0K

105.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 554.8K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Hamamatsu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $387 in Hamamatsu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Budapest versus $42.00 in Hamamatsu. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Budapest vs $301 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 33%, 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 $2,194 per month in Budapest and $1,653 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 118% less in Hamamatsu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 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 $1,102, than in Budapest at $1,463. 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.