Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Magelang

For one person, living is cheaper in Magelang: $522 a month against $1,638 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest, Hungary
Magelang, Indonesia
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,638
/mo nomad
Magelang
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$522
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Magelang

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

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Budapest vs $522 in Magelang, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,638
  • Magelang $522

A couple spends around $2,553 per month in Budapest vs $829 in Magelang, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,553
  • Magelang $829

A family of three spends $3,467 per month in Budapest vs $1,136 in Magelang, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,467
  • Magelang $1,136

Budapest costs about 214% more than Magelang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Magelang is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.81 Ft 4,547
$1.41 Rp 25.6K
879.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.5 Ft 20.2K
$8.48 Rp 153.9K
624.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.16 Ft 3,345
$2.54 Rp 46.1K
300.00%
Cappuccino
$3.22 Ft 1,061
$0.74 Rp 13.3K
335.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 Ft 679
$0.32 Rp 5,749
543.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 Ft 604
$0.17 Rp 3,098
976.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.60 Ft 1,187
$1.30 Rp 23.6K
176.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 Ft 1,206
$2.65 Rp 48.0K
38.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 Ft 392
$1.03 Rp 18.7K
15.53%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 Ft 616
$1.13 Rp 20.5K
65.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 779
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
216.00%
Eggs
$3.96 Ft 1,304
$1.18 Rp 21.4K
235.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.16 Ft 3,676
$6.45 Rp 117.1K
73.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 Ft 2,225
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
199.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.35 Ft 4,725
$6.95 Rp 126.1K
106.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 Ft 595
$2.03 Rp 36.8K
-10.84%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 Ft 694
$1.11 Rp 20.2K
90.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 Ft 769
$1.24 Rp 22.6K
87.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.80 Ft 1,253
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
341.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 327
$1.00 Rp 18.2K
-1.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 Ft 324
$1.34 Rp 24.2K
-26.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 Ft 511
$0.80 Rp 14.5K
93.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 Ft 229
$0.36 Rp 6,478
94.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.79 Ft 2,566
$1.92 Rp 34.8K
305.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 Ft 1,993
$16.50 Rp 299.4K
-63.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 Ft 421
$1.53 Rp 27.7K
-16.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 Ft 671
$2.12 Rp 38.4K
-3.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.55 Ft 510
$0.29 Rp 5,325
434.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.28 Ft 8,985
$11.28 Rp 204.7K
141.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,086
$0.43 Rp 7,755
667.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 Ft 432
$0.32 Rp 5,787
309.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.26 Ft 6,671
$2.18 Rp 39.5K
829.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 599
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
149.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K Ft 9.5M
$25.4K Rp 460.5M
13.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K Ft 10.9M
$28.0K Rp 507.7M
18.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 Ft 56.7K
$46.08 Rp 836.0K
273.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.95 Ft 7,888
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
504.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.31 Ft 7,677
$19.56 Rp 354.9K
19.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.6 Ft 22.6K
$13.49 Rp 244.7K
408.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.91 Ft 6,227
$3.64 Rp 66.0K
419.51%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 Ft 3,352
$2.54 Rp 46.1K
300.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$600 Ft 197.7K
$43.82 Rp 795.1K
1270.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.5M
$3,925 Rp 71.2M
327.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0 Ft 32.6K
$19.01 Rp 345.0K
420.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.25 Ft 14.2K
$19.05 Rp 345.6K
127.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 37.2K
$57.2 Rp 1.0M
97.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 Ft 38.6K
$51.7 Rp 937.3K
126.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$836 Ft 275.3K
$226 Rp 4.1M
269.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$640 Ft 210.7K
$146 Rp 2.7M
336.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 Ft 526.3K
$561 Rp 10.2M
184.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,205 Ft 396.8K
$361 Rp 6.6M
233.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,625 Ft 1.9M
$1,159 Rp 21.0M
385.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,802 Ft 1.3M
$800 Rp 14.5M
375.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Magelang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,671 Ft 550.4K
$170 Rp 3.1M
882.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
7.5
-14.00%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 27, 2026

Last update for Magelang: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$640
Magelang
$146 77.1% $493
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Magelang
$165 36.2% $93
Eating Out
Budapest
$221
Magelang
$41 81.2% $179
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$219
Magelang
$70 68.3% $150
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Magelang
$66 60.5% $101
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$89
Magelang
$19 79.1% $70
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Magelang
$14 66.6% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Budapest versus $226 in Magelang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Budapest are about 9.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Budapest versus $8 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $165 – making Magelang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇮🇩 Magelang
🕒 Local time
18:22 6:22 PM
00:22 12:22 AM
6 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
118,227
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 329 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.04 USD). 1 EUR = 368 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.72 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,281 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Magelang 10,710 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Magelang

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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Magelang cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 214%, 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 $2,457 per month in Budapest and $782 in Magelang. 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 Magelang, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $226 there versus $836 in Budapest.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 59% less in Magelang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $600 per month in Budapest and $44 in Magelang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Magelang?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Budapest at $1,638. In Magelang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Magelang more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Magelang – 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 Magelang?
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 Magelang. 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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