Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Itoman

For one person, living is cheaper in Itoman: $1,150 a month against $1,641 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,641
/mo nomad
Itoman
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,150
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Itoman

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

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Budapest vs $1,150 in Itoman, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,641
  • Itoman $1,150

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Budapest vs $1,811 in Itoman, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,562
  • Itoman $1,811

A family of three spends $3,483 per month in Budapest vs $2,473 in Itoman, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,483
  • Itoman $2,473

Budapest costs about 43% more than Itoman, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Itoman is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.04 Ft 4,536
$3.12 ¥492
350.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 Ft 19.7K
$40.23 ¥6,356
51.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.37 Ft 3,351
$3.71 ¥587
179.51%
Cappuccino
$3.46 Ft 1,117
$2.46 ¥389
40.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 Ft 669
$0.98 ¥155
111.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 Ft 572
$0.79 ¥125
124.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 Ft 1,191
$2.04 ¥322
80.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 Ft 1,229
$4.50 ¥711
-15.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 Ft 374
$1.62 ¥255
-28.40%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 Ft 598
$0.80 ¥127
131.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.40 Ft 776
$2.10 ¥333
14.29%
Eggs
$3.99 Ft 1,289
$1.82 ¥287
119.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.40 Ft 3,683
$17.65 ¥2,789
-35.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.87 Ft 2,221
$2.91 ¥459
136.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.49 Ft 4,682
$7.06 ¥1,116
105.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 Ft 607
$3.60 ¥570
-47.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 Ft 693
$2.60 ¥411
-17.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 Ft 744
$2.14 ¥337
7.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.04 Ft 1,304
$4.99 ¥788
-19.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 Ft 329
$2.46 ¥388
-58.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$2.56 ¥405
-61.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 510
$1.27 ¥201
24.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 Ft 225
$0.64 ¥101
9.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.03 Ft 2,594
$3.89 ¥614
106.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.18 Ft 1,997
$5.54 ¥875
11.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 Ft 401
$1.96 ¥310
-36.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 Ft 666
$3.33 ¥526
-38.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.59 Ft 513
$1.50 ¥237
6.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.52 Ft 8,893
$53.7 ¥8,486
-48.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 Ft 1,110
$3.76 ¥594
-8.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 Ft 431
$3.46 ¥546
-61.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.45 Ft 6,607
$11.21 ¥1,770
82.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.93 Ft 624
$1.06 ¥167
82.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K Ft 9.4M
$20.8K ¥3.3M
40.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K Ft 11.2M
$15.0K ¥2.4M
131.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 Ft 56.4K
$161 ¥25.4K
8.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.62 Ft 7,631
$25.40 ¥4,013
-7.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.60 Ft 7,625
$37.99 ¥6,002
-37.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 Ft 22.2K
$52.9 ¥8,363
30.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.26 Ft 6,224
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.31 Ft 3,333
$11.87 ¥1,875
-13.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$535 Ft 172.9K
$332 ¥52.4K
61.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$5,598 ¥884.4K
200.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.9 Ft 32.3K
$48.55 ¥7,670
105.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.27 Ft 14.0K
$23.71 ¥3,746
82.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 Ft 36.1K
$48.74 ¥7,700
129.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$96.5 ¥15.2K
23.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$832 Ft 268.8K
$534 ¥84.4K
55.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 203.3K
$330 ¥52.1K
90.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,586 Ft 512.4K
$1,115 ¥176.2K
42.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 Ft 386.6K
$729 ¥115.2K
64.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,718 Ft 1.8M
$4,191 ¥662.1K
36.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,947 Ft 1.3M
$1,758 ¥277.8K
124.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Itoman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,712 Ft 553.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
2.23
189.24%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Itoman: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$629
Itoman
$330 47.6% $299
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$262
Itoman
$249 5.1% $13
Eating Out
Budapest
$226
Itoman
$92 59.4% $134
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$222
Itoman
$224 1.1% $2.4
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Itoman
$98 41.8% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$89
Itoman
$77 14.3% $13
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Itoman
$81 83.6% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Budapest versus $534 in Itoman. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $40.00 in Itoman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $249 – making Itoman the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇯🇵 Itoman
🕒 Local time
18:52 6:52 PM
01:52 1:52 AM
7 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
61,007
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Itoman 9,170 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Itoman

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 Itoman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Itoman cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 43%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Budapest and $1,725 in Itoman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Itoman, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 95% less in Itoman. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $535 per month in Budapest and $332 in Itoman. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Itoman?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Itoman, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Budapest at $1,641. In Itoman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Itoman more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Itoman – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Itoman?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Itoman. 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.

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