Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Keelung

For one person, living is cheaper in Keelung: $978 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Keelung
🇹🇼 Taiwan
$978
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Keelung

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $978 in Keelung, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Keelung $978

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,717 in Keelung, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Keelung $1,717

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,457 in Keelung, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Keelung $2,457

Budapest costs about 66% more than Keelung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Keelung is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$4.65 NT$151
199.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$31.92 NT$1,035
91.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$4.85 NT$157
110.10%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$2.85 NT$92.4
14.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$1.03 NT$33.31
107.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.73 NT$23.60
143.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$1.54 NT$50.1
140.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$2.81 NT$91.1
34.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$3.24 NT$105
-64.51%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.39 NT$45.01
28.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$1.12 NT$36.44
122.32%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$2.22 NT$72.1
75.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$29.36 NT$952
-62.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$5.83 NT$189
13.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$17.08 NT$554
-13.99%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$4.35 NT$141
-57.93%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$1.89 NT$61.4
8.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$3.02 NT$98.0
-21.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$2.16 NT$70.1
80.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.19 NT$38.69
-16.81%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$1.90 NT$61.6
-47.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$2.42 NT$78.5
-34.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.91 NT$29.60
-26.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$3.76 NT$122
111.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$9.24 NT$300
-32.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$1.09 NT$35.21
16.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$2.56 NT$83.0
-20.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$0.64 NT$20.87
137.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$63.7 NT$2,064
-55.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$2.61 NT$84.7
26.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$0.96 NT$31.16
42.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$9.61 NT$311
106.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.03 NT$33.31
76.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$33.3K NT$1.1M
-10.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$23.0K NT$744.6K
47.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$41.52 NT$1,346
312.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$15.14 NT$491
55.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$11.07 NT$359
110.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$34.14 NT$1,107
97.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$32.11 NT$1,041
-41.17%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$7.92 NT$257
17.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$336 NT$10.9K
58.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$16.9K NT$546.4K
-0.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$73.0 NT$2,368
36.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$36.15 NT$1,172
20.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$47.16 NT$1,529
134.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$31.66 NT$1,027
275.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$401 NT$13.0K
107.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$254 NT$8,247
144.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$978 NT$31.7K
62.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$731 NT$23.7K
60.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$3,385 NT$109.8K
72.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$2,352 NT$76.3K
65.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Keelung
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$2,436 NT$79.0K
-32.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
2.27
184.14%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Keelung: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Keelung
$254 59.1% $368
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Keelung
$341 32.3% $83
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Keelung
$106 52.3% $117
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Keelung
$68 68.9% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Keelung
$85 49.5% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Keelung
$50 42% $36
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Keelung
$74 66.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $401 in Keelung. 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 48% higher in Keelung, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $32.00 in Keelung. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $341 in Keelung – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇹🇼 Keelung
🕒 Local time
03:07 3:07 AM
09:07 9:07 AM
6 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
372,100
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TWD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

New Taiwan Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 32.43 TWD (100 TWD = 3.08 USD). 1 EUR = 36.46 TWD (100 TWD = 2.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Keelung 8,860 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Keelung

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 Keelung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Keelung cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 66%, 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 $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,467 in Keelung. 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 Keelung, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 127% less in Keelung. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $336 in Keelung. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Keelung?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Keelung, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Keelung it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Keelung more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Keelung – 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 Keelung?
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 the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Keelung. 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.

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