Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hua-lien Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Hua-lien

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,120 in Hua-lien, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $1,858 in Hua-lien, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $2,597 in Hua-lien, rent included.

Budapest costs about 31% more than Hua-lien, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 10% above the global median, while Hua-lien is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,648

$4.16 NT$134

175.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$33.92 NT$1,096

66.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,775

$4.68 NT$151

86.54%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 906

$3.55 NT$115

-19.72%

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

$1.74 Ft 552

$0.97 NT$31.42

79.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 416

$0.64 NT$20.71

104.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 888

$1.28 NT$41.33

118.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 932

$1.97 NT$63.6

48.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 403

$3.26 NT$105

-61.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 556

$1.83 NT$59.1

-4.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 672

$4.53 NT$146

-53.42%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,004

$2.54 NT$82.0

24.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,148

$14.05 NT$454

-29.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,008

$4.72 NT$153

33.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,315

$15.79 NT$510

-14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 606

$4.45 NT$144

-57.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$2.44 NT$78.8

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 684

$4.29 NT$139

-49.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,140

$3.92 NT$127

-8.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 357

$4.59 NT$148

-75.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 383

$4.16 NT$135

-70.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 490

$2.63 NT$84.9

-41.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$1.33 NT$42.82

-58.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,158

$4.93 NT$159

37.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,837

$14.15 NT$457

-59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 381

$2.25 NT$72.8

-46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 525

$2.88 NT$93.2

-42.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 404

$0.84 NT$27.01

51.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,244

$39.30 NT$1,270

-33.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,035

$3.42 NT$111

-4.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

$0.79 NT$25.64

41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,105

$12.61 NT$407

52.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 560

$1.06 NT$34.35

66.04%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

$42.3K NT$1.4M

-37.86%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$28.7K NT$927.3K

6.85%

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

$144 Ft 45.6K

$76.1 NT$2,458

88.76%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,367

$33.70 NT$1,089

-21.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,375

$25.26 NT$816

-20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$37.01 NT$1,196

70.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,949

$15.46 NT$500

41.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,828

$9.06 NT$293

-1.77%

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

$450 Ft 143.1K

$787 NT$25.4K

-42.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

$15.7K NT$506.1K

-22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

$26.95 NT$871

213.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$47.29 NT$1,528

-9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

$70.4 NT$2,275

39.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$127 NT$4,089

-18.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 227.2K

$437 NT$14.1K

63.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 178.0K

$283 NT$9,159

97.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

$1,023 NT$33.0K

30.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 308.5K

$728 NT$23.5K

33.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

$2,897 NT$93.6K

-39.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

1.57

347.77%

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

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Last update for Hua-lien: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $437 in Hua-lien. 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 65% higher in Hua-lien, 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 $56.0 in Budapest versus $34.00 in Hua-lien. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Budapest vs $360 in Hua-lien – 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 Hua-lien: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,680 in Hua-lien. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 52% less in Hua-lien. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Budapest and $787 in Hua-lien. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hua-lien, where all-in costs run around $1,120, than in Budapest at $1,463. In Hua-lien it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hua-lien – 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 Hua-lien. 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.