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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,172 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,798 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,424 in Kalocsa, rent included.

Budapest costs about 24% more than Kalocsa, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Kalocsa is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,504

$11.36 Ft 3,464

1.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$49.31 Ft 15.0K

15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,641

$8.16 Ft 2,489

6.13%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 844

$2.45 Ft 747

13.06%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$1.36 Ft 416

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 407

$0.91 Ft 279

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 858

$2.64 Ft 806

6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 852

$2.65 Ft 807

5.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 368

$1.12 Ft 340

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 529

$1.53 Ft 467

13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 636

$1.79 Ft 546

16.20%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 947

$2.96 Ft 903

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,034

$9.31 Ft 2,838

6.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,930

$5.68 Ft 1,733

11.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,066

$11.04 Ft 3,366

20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 565

$2.24 Ft 684

-17.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 582

$2.03 Ft 620

-5.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 662

$2.09 Ft 636

3.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,119

$4.16 Ft 1,269

-11.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.33 Ft 405

-15.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.28 Ft 390

-4.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 472

$1.48 Ft 450

4.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$0.50 Ft 151

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,072

$7.21 Ft 2,200

-5.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,790

$6.72 Ft 2,051

-12.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.10 Ft 335

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 527

$1.24 Ft 378

39.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$1.12 Ft 342

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,972

$24.92 Ft 7,601

4.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 994

$2.96 Ft 902

10.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.15 Ft 351

-1.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,865

$17.13 Ft 5,224

12.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 533

$1.69 Ft 515

3.55%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$32.2K Ft 9.8M

-19.72%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$36.7K Ft 11.2M

-16.14%

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

$145 Ft 44.3K

$148 Ft 45.0K

-1.67%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,995

$30.12 Ft 9,186

-12.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,170

$24.87 Ft 7,586

-18.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$46.86 Ft 14.3K

32.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,744

$16.95 Ft 5,168

30.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,791

$8.05 Ft 2,456

13.66%

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

$454 Ft 138.4K

$467 Ft 142.5K

-2.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$6,708 Ft 2.0M

80.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$89.8 Ft 27.4K

-5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$25.45 Ft 7,762

64.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$94.4 Ft 28.8K

1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$104 Ft 31.6K

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 219.2K

$453 Ft 138.2K

58.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.6K

$350 Ft 106.8K

57.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

$622 Ft 189.7K

117.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 300.0K

$533 Ft 162.5K

84.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$3,137 Ft 956.6K

92.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$2,497 Ft 761.6K

78.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kalocsa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $453 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $49.00 in Kalocsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 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 24%, 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 $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,757 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 $454 per month in Budapest and $467 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 $1,450. 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.