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 $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,108 in Hua-lien, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,874 in Hua-lien, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,641 in Hua-lien, rent included.

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

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Hua-lien is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,504

$4.05 NT$127

183.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$33.61 NT$1,058

69.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,641

$4.51 NT$142

92.02%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 844

$3.40 NT$107

-18.53%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$0.97 NT$30.47

85.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 407

$0.64 NT$20.19

107.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 858

$1.31 NT$41.28

114.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 852

$2.02 NT$63.5

38.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 368

$3.26 NT$102

-62.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 529

$1.79 NT$56.2

-2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 636

$4.36 NT$137

-52.29%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 947

$2.53 NT$79.5

22.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,034

$13.93 NT$439

-28.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,930

$4.77 NT$150

32.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,066

$16.15 NT$508

-17.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 565

$4.38 NT$138

-57.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 582

$2.49 NT$78.5

-23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 662

$4.16 NT$131

-47.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,119

$3.87 NT$122

-5.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$4.59 NT$145

-75.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

$4.03 NT$127

-69.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 472

$2.56 NT$80.6

-39.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$1.35 NT$42.43

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,072

$5.10 NT$160

33.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,790

$14.09 NT$443

-58.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 371

$2.13 NT$67.1

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 527

$2.78 NT$87.4

-37.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$0.83 NT$26.25

54.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,972

$38.74 NT$1,220

-32.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 994

$3.35 NT$106

-2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.72 NT$22.75

56.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,865

$12.74 NT$401

50.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 533

$1.02 NT$32.11

71.57%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$41.5K NT$1.3M

-37.62%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$29.6K NT$931.0K

3.99%

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

$145 Ft 44.3K

$74.7 NT$2,352

94.29%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,995

$33.24 NT$1,046

-21.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,170

$25.19 NT$793

-19.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$37.04 NT$1,166

67.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,744

$15.45 NT$486

43.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,791

$9.02 NT$284

1.44%

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

$454 Ft 138.4K

$779 NT$24.5K

-41.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$15.5K NT$489.3K

-22.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$27.58 NT$868

206.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$46.63 NT$1,468

-10.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$70.3 NT$2,214

36.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$124 NT$3,908

-14.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 219.2K

$439 NT$13.8K

63.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.6K

$283 NT$8,904

95.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

$1,021 NT$32.1K

32.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 300.0K

$741 NT$23.3K

32.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

$2,890 NT$91.0K

-36.54%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hua-lien: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $439 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 58% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $34.00 in Hua-lien. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $358 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 $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,661 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 48% less in Hua-lien. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $779 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 $1,108, than in Budapest at $1,450. 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.