Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kaposvár

For one person, living is cheaper in Kaposvár: $1,196 a month against $1,638 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest, Hungary
Kaposvár, Hungary
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,638
/mo nomad
Kaposvár
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,196
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Kaposvár

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

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Budapest vs $1,196 in Kaposvár, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,638
  • Kaposvár $1,196

A couple spends around $2,553 per month in Budapest vs $1,783 in Kaposvár, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,553
  • Kaposvár $1,783

A family of three spends $3,467 per month in Budapest vs $2,370 in Kaposvár, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,467
  • Kaposvár $2,370

Budapest costs about 37% more than Kaposvár, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Kaposvár is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.81 Ft 4,552
$10.57 Ft 3,483
30.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.5 Ft 20.3K
$36.28 Ft 12.0K
69.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.16 Ft 3,349
$9.38 Ft 3,093
8.32%
Cappuccino
$3.22 Ft 1,062
$1.63 Ft 537
97.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 Ft 680
$1.05 Ft 348
96.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 Ft 605
$0.59 Ft 195
210.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.60 Ft 1,188
$1.26 Ft 415
185.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 Ft 1,208
$1.46 Ft 482
150.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 Ft 392
$1.12 Ft 369
6.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 Ft 617
$1.24 Ft 407
50.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 780
$1.74 Ft 573
36.21%
Eggs
$3.96 Ft 1,305
$3.19 Ft 1,051
24.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.16 Ft 3,680
$7.44 Ft 2,453
50.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 Ft 2,228
$6.26 Ft 2,064
7.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.35 Ft 4,731
$11.69 Ft 3,854
22.75%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 Ft 596
$1.35 Ft 445
34.07%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 Ft 695
$2.04 Ft 671
3.43%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 Ft 770
$2.10 Ft 694
10.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.80 Ft 1,254
$1.35 Ft 445
181.48%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 327
$0.88 Ft 289
12.50%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 Ft 324
$0.63 Ft 209
55.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 Ft 512
$0.44 Ft 147
252.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 Ft 230
$0.48 Ft 160
45.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.79 Ft 2,569
$6.44 Ft 2,124
20.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 Ft 1,995
$5.39 Ft 1,775
12.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 Ft 421
$1.14 Ft 377
12.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 Ft 672
$1.49 Ft 492
36.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.55 Ft 511
$0.92 Ft 303
68.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.28 Ft 8,995
$26.54 Ft 8,749
2.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,087
$1.48 Ft 487
122.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 Ft 433
$1.54 Ft 508
-14.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.26 Ft 6,679
$18.62 Ft 6,139
8.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 600
$1.82 Ft 602
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K Ft 9.5M
$32.3K Ft 10.6M
-11.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K Ft 10.9M
$35.8K Ft 11.8M
-7.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 Ft 56.8K
$150 Ft 49.6K
14.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.95 Ft 7,897
$24.70 Ft 8,145
-3.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.31 Ft 7,685
$27.17 Ft 8,958
-14.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.6 Ft 22.6K
$51.4 Ft 17.0K
33.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.91 Ft 6,235
$19.44 Ft 6,408
-2.73%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 Ft 3,356
$7.65 Ft 2,522
33.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$600 Ft 197.9K
$184 Ft 60.6K
226.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.5M
$7,001 Ft 2.3M
139.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0 Ft 32.6K
$87.3 Ft 28.8K
13.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.25 Ft 14.3K
$27.67 Ft 9,122
56.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 37.2K
$97.2 Ft 32.0K
16.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 Ft 38.6K
$107 Ft 35.2K
9.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$836 Ft 275.6K
$522 Ft 172.1K
60.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$640 Ft 210.9K
$399 Ft 131.5K
60.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 Ft 526.9K
$763 Ft 251.4K
109.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,205 Ft 397.3K
$640 Ft 211.1K
88.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,625 Ft 1.9M
$3,157 Ft 1.0M
78.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,802 Ft 1.3M
$2,494 Ft 822.1K
52.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Kaposvár
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,671 Ft 551.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
8.25
-21.82%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kaposvár: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$640
Kaposvár
$399 37.7% $241
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Kaposvár
$197 23.7% $61
Eating Out
Budapest
$221
Kaposvár
$148 32.9% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$219
Kaposvár
$202 7.9% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Kaposvár
$143 14.4% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$89
Kaposvár
$67 25% $22
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Kaposvár
$39 9.1% $4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Budapest versus $522 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 $61 in Budapest versus $36 in Kaposvár. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $197 – making Kaposvár the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇭🇺 Kaposvár
🕒 Local time
19:47 7:47 PM
19:47 7:47 PM
Same time as Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
58,830
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 330 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.03 USD). 1 EUR = 367 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.72 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Kaposvár 160 km
From you
  • Budapest
  • Kaposvár

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 Kaposvár: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kaposvár cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,457 per month in Budapest and $1,793 in Kaposvár. 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 Kaposvár, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $522 there versus $836 in Budapest.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Kaposvár. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $600 per month in Budapest and $184 in Kaposvár. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Budapest or in Kaposvár?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,638 in Budapest and $1,196 in Kaposvár. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Budapest or Kaposvár more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Kaposvár?
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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Kaposvár is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 37% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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