Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hamilton

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,237 in Hamilton, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Hamilton
Learn more

Hamilton Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Hamilton

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,237

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Hamilton

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $2,237 in Hamilton, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Hamilton $2,237

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $3,267 in Hamilton, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Hamilton $3,267

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $4,297 in Hamilton, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Hamilton $4,297

Budapest is about 28% cheaper than Hamilton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Hamilton sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Hamilton by 67%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$17.65 CA$25.16

-20.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$60.7 CA$86.5

-0.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$11.96 CA$17.05

-16.72%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$3.48 CA$4.96

-2.87%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$2.15 CA$3.06

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$1.64 CA$2.34

14.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$4.87 CA$6.95

-23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$6.13 CA$8.74

-41.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$2.17 CA$3.09

-47.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$2.23 CA$3.17

-17.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$2.54 CA$3.62

-5.91%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$3.20 CA$4.55

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$7.91 CA$11.27

43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$10.76 CA$15.34

-37.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$13.64 CA$19.44

7.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$3.82 CA$5.45

-51.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.21 CA$1.73

66.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$4.04 CA$5.76

-41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$3.80 CA$5.42

-0.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$2.33 CA$3.32

-58.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$1.58 CA$2.25

-34.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$2.17 CA$3.09

-28.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$1.30 CA$1.85

-49.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$12.33 CA$17.58

-35.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$13.26 CA$18.90

-54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$2.45 CA$3.49

-46.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$3.37 CA$4.81

-38.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$2.49 CA$3.55

-39.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$85.6 CA$122

-67.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$3.40 CA$4.85

-2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.23 CA$1.75

5.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$23.37 CA$33.32

-15.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$1.19 CA$1.70

52.10%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$27.5K CA$39.2K

6.53%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$19.9K CA$28.3K

71.54%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$149 CA$212

14.02%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$41.14 CA$58.7

-41.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$49.32 CA$70.3

-52.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$37.18 CA$53.0

78.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$17.33 CA$24.71

10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$10.19 CA$14.52

-6.58%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$597 CA$852

-10.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$16.2K CA$23.1K

2.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$48.29 CA$68.8

109.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$30.75 CA$43.83

39.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$86.2 CA$123

30.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$115 CA$163

3.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$1,263 CA$1,801

-36.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$1,135 CA$1,617

-44.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$2,006 CA$2,859

-22.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$1,869 CA$2,664

-37.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$2,659 CA$3,790

111.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$2,694 CA$3,840

47.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$2,896 CA$4,128

-43.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

4.6

39.78%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Hamilton: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Hamilton

$1.1K 50.2% 80.3% $506

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Hamilton

$327 14.5% 26.9% $69

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Hamilton

$271 12% 20.7% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Hamilton

$240 10.6% 10.2% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Hamilton

$126 5.6% 25.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Hamilton

$58 2.6% 32.5% $28

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Hamilton

$105 4.7% 142% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $1,263 in Hamilton. 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 78% higher in Hamilton, 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 $60.0 in Budapest versus $61.0 in Hamilton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $327 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇨🇦 Hamilton

🕒 Local time

12:25 12:25 PM

06:25 6:25 AM

6 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

519,949

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 CAD = 0.702 USD

1 CAD = 0.626 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Hamilton 7,180 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
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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 Hamilton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hamilton is pricier by about 38%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $3,356 in Hamilton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 210% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $597 in Hamilton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Hamilton at $2,237. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hamilton it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hamilton makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.