Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Maia Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Maia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,636 in Maia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $2,479 in Maia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $3,322 in Maia, rent included.

Budapest is about 11% cheaper than Maia, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Budapest and Maia sit above the global median – Budapest by 10%, Maia by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,642

$11.41 €10.00

0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$47.05 €41.25

19.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,771

$9.46 €8.30

-7.72%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 904

$2.10 €1.84

35.71%

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

$1.74 Ft 551

$2.00 €1.75

-13.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 416

$1.38 €1.21

-5.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 887

$2.29 €2.01

22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 930

$3.54 €3.11

-17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 402

$1.11 €0.97

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 555

$1.50 €1.32

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 671

$1.69 €1.48

24.85%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,003

$3.13 €2.74

0.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,143

$11.30 €9.91

-12.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,005

$7.18 €6.30

-11.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,309

$14.04 €12.31

-3.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 605

$2.35 €2.06

-18.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 634

$1.55 €1.36

29.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 683

$2.00 €1.75

7.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,139

$2.44 €2.14

47.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 356

$1.63 €1.43

-31.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 383

$1.91 €1.68

-36.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 489

$1.55 €1.36

-0.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$0.78 €0.68

-29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,155

$6.16 €5.40

10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,834

$4.68 €4.10

23.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 380

$1.09 €0.96

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 524

$2.37 €2.08

-30.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 404

$2.63 €2.31

-51.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,232

$45.68 €40.05

-43.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,033

$4.08 €3.58

-20.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

$0.75 €0.65

49.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,096

$14.31 €12.55

34.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 559

$1.98 €1.73

-11.11%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

$34.1K €29.9K

-22.95%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$39.3K €34.5K

-21.99%

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

$144 Ft 45.6K

$141 €124

1.63%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,355

$21.96 €19.25

19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,366

$39.20 €34.37

-48.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$46.87 €41.10

34.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,939

$34.66 €30.39

-36.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,824

$8.88 €7.78

0.23%

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

$450 Ft 142.9K

$290 €254

55.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

$8,437 €7,397

43.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.8K

$74.1 €65.0

14.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$34.50 €30.25

23.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

$92.4 €81.0

6.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.8K

$112 €97.9

-7.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 226.9K

$1,120 €982

-36.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 177.8K

$719 €630

-22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 424.8K

$1,740 €1,525

-23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 308.0K

$1,290 €1,131

-24.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

$3,119 €2,735

94.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

$1,740 €1,526

147.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 555.6K

$1,445 €1,267

21.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

5.43

29.47%

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

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $1,120 in Maia. 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 21% 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 $56.0 in Budapest versus $47.00 in Maia. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Budapest vs $242 in Maia – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Maia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Maia is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,194 per month in Budapest and $2,454 in Maia. 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 76% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Budapest and $290 in Maia. 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 $1,463, than in Maia at $1,636. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maia 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, Maia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.