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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $1,112 in Kaposvár, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,648 in Kaposvár, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $2,185 in Kaposvár, rent included.

Budapest costs about 29% more than Kaposvár, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Kaposvár is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,571

$10.14 Ft 3,153

13.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.1K

$34.06 Ft 10.6K

70.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,678

$8.02 Ft 2,494

7.36%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 863

$1.55 Ft 481

79.35%

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

$1.73 Ft 538

$1.01 Ft 314

71.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 415

$0.59 Ft 184

127.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 876

$1.20 Ft 373

135.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 888

$1.33 Ft 414

115.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.10 Ft 341

11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 519

$1.16 Ft 360

43.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 634

$1.69 Ft 524

20.71%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 952

$2.87 Ft 893

6.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,180

$7.40 Ft 2,300

38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,973

$5.93 Ft 1,842

7.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,164

$10.96 Ft 3,408

22.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.27 Ft 395

50.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 597

$1.97 Ft 613

-2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 677

$2.05 Ft 637

6.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,126

$1.28 Ft 397

182.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 350

$0.88 Ft 272

27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 376

$0.60 Ft 188

101.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 460

$0.42 Ft 130

252.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.52 Ft 163

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,038

$6.09 Ft 1,893

7.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,784

$5.75 Ft 1,788

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 356

$1.07 Ft 334

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 515

$1.20 Ft 373

38.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 396

$0.86 Ft 269

47.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,171

$25.32 Ft 7,872

3.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 973

$1.46 Ft 453

114.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 345

$1.16 Ft 362

-4.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,888

$17.59 Ft 5,468

7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 554

$1.74 Ft 541

2.30%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$31.5K Ft 9.8M

-18.51%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$37.0K Ft 11.5M

-17.76%

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

$148 Ft 46.0K

$143 Ft 44.5K

3.47%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,287

$23.23 Ft 7,222

14.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,206

$24.52 Ft 7,623

-18.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$46.24 Ft 14.4K

38.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,815

$16.54 Ft 5,143

32.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,716

$7.75 Ft 2,408

12.77%

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

$463 Ft 144.0K

$174 Ft 54.2K

165.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$6,685 Ft 2.1M

81.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.7K

$88.5 Ft 27.5K

-3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.4K

$25.46 Ft 7,914

69.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.7K

$94.5 Ft 29.4K

1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.3K

$107 Ft 33.3K

-3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 228.6K

$440 Ft 136.7K

67.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.0K

$344 Ft 106.9K

62.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 421.1K

$633 Ft 196.9K

113.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 302.3K

$525 Ft 163.2K

85.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.8M

$3,170 Ft 985.6K

87.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$2,461 Ft 765.0K

70.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 539.8K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kaposvár: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $440 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 $58.0 in Budapest versus $34.00 in Kaposvár. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $189 – 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 29%, 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 $2,157 per month in Budapest and $1,667 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 $463 per month in Budapest and $174 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 $1,112, than in Budapest at $1,438. 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.