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 $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $1,067 in Hua-lien, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $1,822 in Hua-lien, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $2,578 in Hua-lien, rent included.

Budapest costs about 61% more than Hua-lien, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Hua-lien is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,551

$4.12 NT$131

248.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 20.1K

$27.83 NT$883

127.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,560

$4.21 NT$133

166.75%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,078

$2.74 NT$87.1

24.09%

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

$2.14 Ft 680

$0.82 NT$26.15

160.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 644

$0.52 NT$16.36

290.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,185

$1.28 NT$40.47

192.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,202

$1.76 NT$55.8

115.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 389

$2.82 NT$89.4

-56.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 605

$1.71 NT$54.3

11.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 819

$4.53 NT$144

-43.05%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,311

$1.97 NT$62.5

110.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,942

$19.03 NT$604

-34.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,187

$6.16 NT$196

12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,869

$25.32 NT$803

-39.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 657

$2.65 NT$84.2

-21.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 689

$2.56 NT$81.1

-15.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 791

$3.38 NT$107

-26.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,302

$3.16 NT$100

30.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 328

$2.41 NT$76.5

-57.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 316

$2.41 NT$76.5

-58.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 504

$2.08 NT$65.9

-23.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 216

$0.95 NT$30.20

-28.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,659

$3.83 NT$121

119.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 2,022

$12.32 NT$391

-48.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 422

$1.92 NT$60.8

-30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 714

$2.39 NT$75.7

-5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 500

$0.66 NT$20.96

139.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 9,126

$35.66 NT$1,131

-19.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,132

$3.21 NT$102

11.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 454

$0.32 NT$10.20

346.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,527

$10.34 NT$328

99.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 593

$0.88 NT$28.03

112.50%

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

$31.8K Ft 10.1M

$33.1K NT$1.1M

-4.07%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.4M

$26.6K NT$843.2K

35.23%

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

$173 Ft 55.0K

$101 NT$3,188

72.59%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,235

$19.42 NT$616

33.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 8,006

$12.51 NT$397

101.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.7K

$37.12 NT$1,178

93.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 6,089

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,096

$10.15 NT$322

-3.84%

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

$577 Ft 182.9K

$763 NT$24.2K

-24.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.6M

$16.4K NT$521.7K

7.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.9K

$57.9 NT$1,837

84.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 14.0K

$35.49 NT$1,126

24.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.9K

$79.3 NT$2,517

46.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 38.2K

$108 NT$3,416

11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 272.2K

$394 NT$12.5K

117.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 212.8K

$249 NT$7,884

170.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 530.1K

$957 NT$30.4K

74.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 410.8K

$737 NT$23.4K

75.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$7,381 NT$234.2K

-17.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$4,947 NT$156.9K

-15.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 541.8K

$2,874 NT$91.2K

-40.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

2.13

213.62%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Hua-lien: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $394 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 68% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $28.00 in Hua-lien. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Budapest vs $364 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 61%, 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 $2,581 per month in Budapest and $1,601 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 24% less in Hua-lien. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Budapest and $763 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 $1,067, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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.