Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hearst

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,210 in Hearst, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
108

Cost of Living Index in Hearst
Learn more

Hearst Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Hearst

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Hearst

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

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Budapest vs $2,210 in Hearst, rent included.

Budapest $1,641
Hearst $2,210

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Budapest vs $3,203 in Hearst, rent included.

Budapest $2,562
Hearst $3,203

A family of three spends $3,483 per month in Budapest vs $4,197 in Hearst, rent included.

Budapest $3,483
Hearst $4,197

Budapest is about 26% cheaper than Hearst, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Hearst sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Hearst by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.04 Ft 4,536

$17.35 CA$24.53

-19.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

$66.0 CA$93.4

-7.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 Ft 3,351

$10.67 CA$15.09

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Ft 1,117

$3.60 CA$5.09

-3.89%

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

$2.07 Ft 669

$2.01 CA$2.83

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 Ft 572

$1.55 CA$2.20

14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 Ft 1,191

$5.18 CA$7.32

-28.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Ft 1,229

$5.58 CA$7.88

-31.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 Ft 374

$2.09 CA$2.95

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 Ft 598

$2.55 CA$3.60

-27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 Ft 776

$3.29 CA$4.65

-27.05%

Eggs

$3.99 Ft 1,289

$3.34 CA$4.73

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 Ft 3,683

$9.67 CA$13.67

17.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 Ft 2,221

$11.53 CA$16.30

-40.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 Ft 4,682

$14.25 CA$20.15

1.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 Ft 607

$3.78 CA$5.35

-50.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 Ft 693

$1.26 CA$1.78

69.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 Ft 744

$3.63 CA$5.13

-36.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 Ft 1,304

$3.67 CA$5.18

10.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 329

$2.49 CA$3.52

-59.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$2.17 CA$3.06

-54.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 510

$2.48 CA$3.51

-36.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 225

$1.57 CA$2.22

-55.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 Ft 2,594

$13.89 CA$19.63

-42.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 Ft 1,997

$12.84 CA$18.15

-51.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 401

$2.61 CA$3.70

-52.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Ft 666

$3.09 CA$4.37

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 Ft 513

$2.24 CA$3.17

-29.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 Ft 8,893

$62.3 CA$88.0

-55.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 Ft 1,110

$2.79 CA$3.95

22.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 Ft 431

$1.40 CA$1.98

-5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.45 Ft 6,607

$22.95 CA$32.44

-10.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 624

$1.14 CA$1.61

69.30%

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

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

$27.9K CA$39.4K

4.59%

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

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

$18.9K CA$26.7K

83.98%

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

$175 Ft 56.4K

$132 CA$186

32.64%

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

$23.62 Ft 7,631

$38.55 CA$54.5

-38.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 Ft 7,625

$54.4 CA$77.0

-56.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

$40.47 CA$57.2

70.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

$17.81 CA$25.18

8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 Ft 3,333

$11.12 CA$15.72

-7.28%

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

$535 Ft 172.9K

$748 CA$1,057

-28.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$13.1K CA$18.5K

29.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

$53.7 CA$75.9

85.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

$38.42 CA$54.3

12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Ft 36.1K

$83.4 CA$118

33.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$103 CA$145

16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 Ft 268.8K

$1,220 CA$1,724

-31.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 203.3K

$1,104 CA$1,560

-42.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

$1,918 CA$2,711

-17.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

$1,687 CA$2,384

-29.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

$4,145 CA$5,860

37.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

$3,557 CA$5,028

10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

$3,120 CA$4,410

-45.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.66

38.41%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hearst: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.4%

Hearst

$1.1K 49.9% 75.4% $474

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$262 16%

Hearst

$347 15.7% 32.6% $85

Eating Out

Budapest

$226 13.8%

Hearst

$265 12% 17.2% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$222 13.5%

Hearst

$225 10.2% 1.3% $2.8

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.3%

Hearst

$125 5.7% 25.6% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$89 5.5%

Hearst

$63 2.8% 29.9% $27

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Hearst

$81 3.7% 84.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Budapest versus $1,220 in Hearst. 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 82% higher in Hearst, 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 $66.0 in Hearst. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $347 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇨🇦 Hearst

🕒 Local time

18:19 6:19 PM

12:19 12:19 PM

6 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

5,000

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 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 21, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Hearst 6,920 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

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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 Hearst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hearst is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Budapest and $3,314 in Hearst. 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 126% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $535 per month in Budapest and $748 in Hearst. 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 $1,641, than in Hearst at $2,210. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hearst 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, Hearst makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.