Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Incheon

For one person, living is cheaper in Incheon: $1,373 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Incheon
Learn more

Incheon Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Incheon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,373

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Incheon

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,373 in Incheon, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Incheon $1,373

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,106 in Incheon, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Incheon $2,106

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,839 in Incheon, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Incheon $2,839

Budapest costs about 18% more than Incheon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Incheon sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Incheon by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$5.92 ₩7,902

135.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$34.73 ₩46.3K

76.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$6.55 ₩8,734

55.57%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.75 ₩5,005

-13.07%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.61 ₩2,154

32.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.64 ₩854

178.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$3.42 ₩4,560

8.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$4.63 ₩6,183

-18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.04 ₩2,724

-43.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$3.13 ₩4,175

-42.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$2.34 ₩3,120

6.41%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$3.33 ₩4,442

17.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$15.51 ₩20.7K

-28.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$7.88 ₩10.5K

-15.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$11.06 ₩14.8K

32.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$7.84 ₩10.5K

-76.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$3.16 ₩4,221

-35.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$5.66 ₩7,555

-58.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$6.38 ₩8,510

-38.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$3.45 ₩4,601

-71.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$2.42 ₩3,224

-58.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$2.08 ₩2,778

-24.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$1.15 ₩1,533

-41.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.47 ₩4,625

129.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$18.82 ₩25.1K

-66.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.20 ₩2,942

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.24 ₩4,321

-37.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.06 ₩1,417

43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$24.53 ₩32.7K

14.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.57 ₩4,769

-7.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.64 ₩855

114.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$9.24 ₩12.3K

114.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.40 ₩1,867

30.00%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$29.0K ₩38.7M

2.72%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$28.6K ₩38.1M

18.41%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$209 ₩278.2K

-17.93%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$35.24 ₩47.0K

-33.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$20.80 ₩27.8K

11.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$33.40 ₩44.6K

102.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$38.21 ₩51.0K

-50.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$11.26 ₩15.0K

-17.41%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$295 ₩394.2K

80.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$18.2K ₩24.2M

-7.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$57.1 ₩76.2K

74.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$32.82 ₩43.8K

32.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$69.5 ₩92.7K

58.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$84.3 ₩112.4K

41.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$611 ₩814.9K

35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$361 ₩481.8K

72.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,275 ₩1.7M

24.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$693 ₩924.5K

68.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$6,723 ₩9.0M

-13.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$5,498 ₩7.3M

-29.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,411 ₩3.2M

-31.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.08

58.09%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Incheon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Incheon

$361 26.3% 41.9% $261

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Incheon

$399 29% 54.6% $141

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Incheon

$147 10.7% 33.9% $76

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Incheon

$265 19.3% 21.4% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Incheon

$110 8% 34.6% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Incheon

$56 4.1% 35.1% $30

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Incheon

$36 2.6% 19.6% $8.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $611 in Incheon. 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 46% higher in Incheon, 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $35.00 in Incheon. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $399 in Incheon – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇰🇷 Incheon

🕒 Local time

19:14 7:14 PM

02:14 2:14 AM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

2,870,545

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Incheon 8,160 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Incheon

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 Incheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $2,059 in Incheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 14% less in Incheon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $295 in Incheon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Incheon, where all-in costs run around $1,373, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Incheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Incheon – 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 Incheon. 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.