Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kecskemet Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kecskemet

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,032 in Kecskemet, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,505 in Kecskemet, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $1,978 in Kecskemet, rent included.

Budapest costs about 41% more than Kecskemet, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Kecskemet is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,498

$7.58 Ft 2,308

51.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$28.63 Ft 8,716

98.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,636

$4.97 Ft 1,514

74.25%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 842

$1.38 Ft 421

100.72%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$1.17 Ft 355

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 406

$0.69 Ft 210

92.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 857

$2.03 Ft 618

38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 851

$2.20 Ft 669

26.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 367

$1.07 Ft 327

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 528

$1.16 Ft 354

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 635

$2.16 Ft 656

-3.70%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 945

$2.95 Ft 897

5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,029

$7.79 Ft 2,371

27.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,926

$5.95 Ft 1,811

6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,060

$10.54 Ft 3,208

26.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 564

$1.26 Ft 385

46.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 581

$1.30 Ft 396

46.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 661

$1.74 Ft 530

24.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,117

$2.41 Ft 734

52.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.97 Ft 296

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.10 Ft 334

10.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 471

$1.02 Ft 311

51.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.48 Ft 147

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,068

$5.83 Ft 1,774

16.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,787

$3.89 Ft 1,186

50.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$0.95 Ft 288

28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$1.45 Ft 443

19.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$0.99 Ft 300

29.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

$17.24 Ft 5,250

51.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 993

$1.16 Ft 353

181.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.34 Ft 407

-15.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,855

$17.29 Ft 5,263

11.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 532

$1.77 Ft 537

-1.13%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$26.9K Ft 8.2M

-3.91%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$28.4K Ft 8.7M

8.19%

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

$145 Ft 44.2K

$103 Ft 31.4K

40.65%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,981

$26.64 Ft 8,110

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,160

$18.42 Ft 5,608

9.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$47.51 Ft 14.5K

30.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,733

$16.59 Ft 5,050

33.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,787

$8.42 Ft 2,565

8.67%

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

$454 Ft 138.1K

$221 Ft 67.3K

105.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$6,385 Ft 1.9M

89.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$107 Ft 32.7K

-21.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

$14.67 Ft 4,465

185.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$43.26 Ft 13.2K

121.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$72.3 Ft 22.0K

47.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 218.8K

$477 Ft 145.1K

50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.3K

$371 Ft 112.8K

49.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

$669 Ft 203.8K

102.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 299.5K

$560 Ft 170.4K

75.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$2,519 Ft 766.9K

139.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$2,116 Ft 644.3K

111.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

$1,181 Ft 359.5K

55.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

5.85

20.17%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kecskemet: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $477 in Kecskemet. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 55% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Budapest versus $29.00 in Kecskemet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $191 – making Kecskemet 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 Kecskemet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 41%, 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 $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,548 in Kecskemet. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 52% less in Kecskemet. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $221 in Kecskemet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kecskemet, where all-in costs run around $1,032, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Kecskemet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kecskemet – 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 Kecskemet. 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.