Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kaposvár Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kaposvár

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Budapest vs $1,253 in Kaposvár, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Budapest vs $1,879 in Kaposvár, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,506 in Kaposvár, rent included.

Budapest costs about 38% more than Kaposvár, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Kaposvár is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$11.18 Ft 3,501

28.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$38.18 Ft 12.0K

65.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$9.60 Ft 3,007

16.88%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$1.78 Ft 556

92.13%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$1.06 Ft 331

104.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$0.62 Ft 194

222.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$1.31 Ft 410

197.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$1.55 Ft 484

145.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.16 Ft 365

5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.22 Ft 384

63.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$1.88 Ft 590

35.11%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$3.32 Ft 1,041

27.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$7.76 Ft 2,432

56.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$6.67 Ft 2,090

5.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$12.27 Ft 3,844

24.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$1.46 Ft 458

39.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.20 Ft 690

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$2.11 Ft 660

15.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$1.46 Ft 458

177.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$0.93 Ft 290

10.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$0.61 Ft 192

72.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$0.50 Ft 156

240.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.49 Ft 155

32.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$6.74 Ft 2,111

24.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$5.67 Ft 1,776

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$1.18 Ft 368

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$1.50 Ft 471

48.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

$1.01 Ft 317

62.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

$28.13 Ft 8,810

4.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$1.61 Ft 503

113.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$1.57 Ft 490

-8.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$18.71 Ft 5,860

13.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.88 Ft 588

2.66%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$33.7K Ft 10.6M

-5.14%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$38.0K Ft 11.9M

-7.07%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$160 Ft 50.3K

8.70%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$24.95 Ft 7,815

2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$28.38 Ft 8,889

-13.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$48.74 Ft 15.3K

46.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

$19.18 Ft 6,008

3.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$7.97 Ft 2,498

27.73%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$189 Ft 59.1K

198.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$8,029 Ft 2.5M

115.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$90.8 Ft 28.4K

20.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$28.10 Ft 8,803

61.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$103 Ft 32.4K

15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$112 Ft 35.1K

11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$537 Ft 168.1K

57.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$420 Ft 131.5K

56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$771 Ft 241.5K

116.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$673 Ft 210.9K

91.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$3,049 Ft 955.2K

94.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$2,660 Ft 833.4K

54.24%

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 Kaposvár: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Budapest versus $537 in Kaposvár. 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 $38.00 in Kaposvár. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $207 – making Kaposvár 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 Kaposvár: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,879 in Kaposvár. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 4% less in Kaposvár. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Budapest and $189 in Kaposvár. 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 Kaposvár, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Budapest at $1,730. In Kaposvár it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kaposvár – 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 Kaposvár. 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.