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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Budapest vs $1,085 in Kaposvár, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,210 per month in Budapest vs $1,612 in Kaposvár, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,969 per month in Budapest vs $2,140 in Kaposvár, rent included.

Budapest costs about 34% more than Kaposvár, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Kaposvár is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 Ft 3,521

$9.87 Ft 2,987

17.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 Ft 17.7K

$33.86 Ft 10.2K

72.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,604

$8.26 Ft 2,499

4.24%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Ft 857

$1.59 Ft 481

77.99%

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

$1.81 Ft 547

$0.94 Ft 284

92.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 410

$0.59 Ft 180

128.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 Ft 897

$1.24 Ft 374

138.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Ft 884

$1.40 Ft 425

108.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 385

$1.08 Ft 328

17.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 Ft 504

$1.15 Ft 349

44.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 618

$1.66 Ft 501

22.89%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 955

$2.94 Ft 889

7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 Ft 2,988

$7.13 Ft 2,159

38.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,868

$5.86 Ft 1,774

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 Ft 4,072

$10.98 Ft 3,322

22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 562

$1.28 Ft 388

45.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 578

$1.93 Ft 585

-1.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 628

$2.01 Ft 607

3.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,092

$1.26 Ft 382

186.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 344

$0.89 Ft 269

28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 368

$0.57 Ft 171

114.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 467

$0.45 Ft 136

242.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.50 Ft 150

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 Ft 2,081

$6.24 Ft 1,889

10.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 Ft 1,808

$5.89 Ft 1,783

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 362

$1.06 Ft 321

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 501

$1.20 Ft 362

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 Ft 398

$0.93 Ft 282

40.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.92 Ft 7,843

$25.11 Ft 7,599

3.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 978

$1.40 Ft 423

130.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 341

$1.17 Ft 355

-3.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.91 Ft 5,722

$16.99 Ft 5,141

11.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 528

$1.75 Ft 529

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

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

$31.3K Ft 9.5M

-18.75%

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

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

$36.2K Ft 11.0M

-12.61%

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

$145 Ft 44.0K

$149 Ft 44.9K

-2.10%

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

$26.44 Ft 8,001

$22.79 Ft 6,895

16.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.87 Ft 6,012

$24.18 Ft 7,314

-17.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 Ft 19.3K

$46.11 Ft 14.0K

38.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 6,724

$16.48 Ft 4,985

34.89%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,750

$7.77 Ft 2,352

16.99%

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

$460 Ft 139.3K

$176 Ft 53.1K

162.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.7M

$6,762 Ft 2.0M

81.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 Ft 26.4K

$89.5 Ft 27.1K

-2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 Ft 12.7K

$25.80 Ft 7,804

62.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 Ft 29.6K

$96.4 Ft 29.2K

1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 31.4K

$104 Ft 31.6K

-0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 Ft 224.8K

$451 Ft 136.4K

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 164.3K

$342 Ft 103.4K

58.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 Ft 409.4K

$636 Ft 192.5K

112.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 Ft 295.5K

$530 Ft 160.4K

84.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

$3,298 Ft 997.9K

85.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,404 Ft 1.3M

$2,411 Ft 729.4K

82.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 Ft 544.5K

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 9, 2026

Last update for Kaposvár: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $743 in Budapest versus $451 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 $59.0 in Budapest versus $34.00 in Kaposvár. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $188 – 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 34%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,177 per month in Budapest and $1,627 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 3% less in Kaposvár. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $460 per month in Budapest and $176 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 $1,085, than in Budapest at $1,451. 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.