Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $2,210 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $3,311 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $4,411 in Lisbon, rent included.

Budapest is about 34% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Lisbon sit above the global median – Budapest by 8%, Lisbon by 65%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,498

$15.91 €13.70

-27.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$64.8 €55.8

-12.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,636

$10.51 €9.05

-17.60%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 842

$2.87 €2.47

-3.48%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$2.24 €1.93

-19.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 406

$1.50 €1.29

-11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 857

$3.49 €3.01

-19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 851

$3.88 €3.34

-28.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 367

$1.14 €0.98

6.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 528

$1.75 €1.51

-0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 635

$1.76 €1.51

18.18%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 945

$3.22 €2.77

-3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,029

$13.49 €11.61

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,926

$7.91 €6.81

-19.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,060

$15.87 €13.67

-16.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 564

$2.31 €1.99

-19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 581

$1.70 €1.46

12.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 661

$2.01 €1.73

7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,117

$2.46 €2.12

49.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.84 €1.59

-38.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 370

$2.00 €1.72

-39.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 471

$1.93 €1.66

-19.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.79 €0.68

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,068

$6.61 €5.69

2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,787

$5.72 €4.93

2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.37 €1.18

-10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$2.97 €2.56

-41.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$2.37 €2.04

-45.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

$45.56 €39.22

-42.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 993

$4.29 €3.69

-24.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.82 €0.70

37.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,855

$18.30 €15.76

5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 532

$2.06 €1.78

-15.05%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$34.3K €29.5K

-24.49%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$39.3K €33.8K

-21.73%

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

$145 Ft 44.2K

$148 €127

-1.81%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,981

$20.52 €17.67

27.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,160

$39.61 €34.10

-48.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$47.85 €41.19

29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,733

$18.92 €16.29

16.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,787

$9.18 €7.91

-0.33%

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

$454 Ft 138.1K

$614 €529

-26.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$16.0K €13.8K

-24.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$105 €90.1

-19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

$42.06 €36.21

-0.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$94.0 €80.9

2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$120 €103

-10.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 218.8K

$1,628 €1,401

-55.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.3K

$1,255 €1,081

-55.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

$3,030 €2,609

-55.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 299.5K

$2,020 €1,739

-51.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$7,800 €6,715

-22.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$4,273 €3,678

4.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

$1,603 €1,380

14.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

3.81

84.51%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $1,628 in Lisbon. 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 14% higher in Budapest, 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $65.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $269 – making Budapest 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 52%, 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 $3,315 in Lisbon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 74% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $614 in Lisbon. 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 Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Lisbon at $2,210. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.