Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kalocsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kalocsa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,172 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $1,822 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $2,473 in Kalocsa, rent included.

Budapest costs about 25% more than Kalocsa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Budapest sits 10% above the global median, while Kalocsa is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,648

$11.28 Ft 3,585

1.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$48.25 Ft 15.3K

16.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,775

$8.28 Ft 2,632

5.43%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 906

$2.55 Ft 811

11.76%

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

$1.74 Ft 552

$1.40 Ft 445

24.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 416

$0.91 Ft 290

43.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 888

$2.60 Ft 827

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 932

$2.55 Ft 809

14.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 403

$1.08 Ft 343

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 556

$1.46 Ft 464

19.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 672

$1.84 Ft 585

14.67%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,004

$2.85 Ft 906

10.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,148

$9.19 Ft 2,921

7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,008

$5.71 Ft 1,814

10.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,315

$11.34 Ft 3,605

19.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 606

$2.25 Ft 717

-15.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$2.05 Ft 651

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 684

$2.08 Ft 660

3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,140

$4.28 Ft 1,361

-16.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 357

$1.39 Ft 443

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 383

$1.28 Ft 408

-5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 490

$1.55 Ft 493

-0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$0.53 Ft 168

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,158

$7.30 Ft 2,318

-6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,837

$6.17 Ft 1,960

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 381

$1.15 Ft 364

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 525

$1.20 Ft 380

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 404

$1.12 Ft 356

13.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,244

$25.40 Ft 8,072

2.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,035

$2.93 Ft 930

11.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

$1.11 Ft 354

0.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,105

$17.51 Ft 5,563

9.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 560

$1.69 Ft 538

4.14%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

$31.0K Ft 9.9M

-15.32%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$35.8K Ft 11.4M

-14.42%

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

$144 Ft 45.6K

$144 Ft 45.8K

-0.33%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,367

$30.34 Ft 9,641

-13.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,375

$25.04 Ft 7,956

-19.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$47.36 Ft 15.0K

33.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,949

$16.99 Ft 5,400

28.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,828

$8.00 Ft 2,543

11.25%

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

$450 Ft 143.1K

$461 Ft 146.6K

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

$6,888 Ft 2.2M

76.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

$88.9 Ft 28.2K

-4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$25.72 Ft 8,172

65.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

$93.4 Ft 29.7K

5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$107 Ft 33.8K

-2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 227.2K

$448 Ft 142.2K

59.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 178.0K

$344 Ft 109.2K

63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

$639 Ft 203.0K

109.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 308.5K

$535 Ft 170.0K

81.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

$3,508 Ft 1.1M

72.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

$2,478 Ft 787.5K

73.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

-12.12%

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

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kalocsa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $448 in Kalocsa. 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 $56.0 in Budapest versus $48.00 in Kalocsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $227 – making Kalocsa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kalocsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,758 in Kalocsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Kalocsa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Budapest and $461 in Kalocsa. 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 Kalocsa, where all-in costs run around $1,172, than in Budapest at $1,463. In Kalocsa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalocsa – 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 Kalocsa. 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.