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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Budapest vs $1,367 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Budapest vs $2,046 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,726 in Kalocsa, rent included.

Budapest costs about 27% more than Kalocsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Kalocsa is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$12.85 Ft 4,025

11.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$53.1 Ft 16.6K

19.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$9.56 Ft 2,995

17.36%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$2.76 Ft 864

23.91%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$1.98 Ft 621

9.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$1.24 Ft 387

61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$3.25 Ft 1,019

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$2.97 Ft 930

28.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.26 Ft 395

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.55 Ft 486

28.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$2.42 Ft 759

4.96%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$3.50 Ft 1,097

20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$11.35 Ft 3,556

6.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$6.46 Ft 2,025

9.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$14.23 Ft 4,457

7.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$2.59 Ft 811

-21.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.20 Ft 691

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$2.22 Ft 696

9.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$4.16 Ft 1,302

-2.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.19 Ft 373

-13.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$1.36 Ft 427

-22.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$1.81 Ft 566

-6.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.50 Ft 157

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$8.24 Ft 2,581

1.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$6.21 Ft 1,946

2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$1.31 Ft 412

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$1.63 Ft 511

36.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

$1.29 Ft 405

27.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

$28.00 Ft 8,769

4.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$3.24 Ft 1,015

6.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$1.63 Ft 511

-12.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$19.04 Ft 5,965

11.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.92 Ft 602

0.52%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$33.7K Ft 10.5M

-5.10%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$37.5K Ft 11.7M

-5.76%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$156 Ft 48.9K

11.65%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$33.55 Ft 10.5K

-23.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$27.81 Ft 8,712

-11.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$48.93 Ft 15.3K

45.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

$18.96 Ft 5,938

5.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$8.12 Ft 2,544

25.37%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$256 Ft 80.1K

120.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$7,824 Ft 2.5M

121.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$91.7 Ft 28.7K

19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$28.81 Ft 9,024

57.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$101 Ft 31.6K

17.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$111 Ft 34.7K

12.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$530 Ft 165.9K

59.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$412 Ft 129.0K

59.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$757 Ft 237.0K

121.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$665 Ft 208.2K

94.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$3,147 Ft 985.6K

88.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$2,655 Ft 831.7K

54.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

8.25

-20.48%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kalocsa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Budapest versus $530 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $53.0 in Kalocsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $259 – 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 27%, 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 $2,594 per month in Budapest and $2,050 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 5% less in Kalocsa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Budapest and $256 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 $1,367, than in Budapest at $1,730. 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.