Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Mary

For one person, living is cheaper in Mary: $474 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $13,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Mary

🇹🇲 Turkmenistan

$474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Mary

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $474 in Mary, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Mary $474

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $705 in Mary, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Mary $705

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $936 in Mary, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Mary $936

Budapest costs about 242% more than Mary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Mary is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

$11.60 TMT 38.88

20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$8.30 TMT 27.79

20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

$8.78 TMT 29.42

-61.50%

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

$2.13 Ft 693

$12.63 TMT 42.31

-83.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

$1.41 TMT 4.72

32.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$14.48 TMT 48.50

-74.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

$11.57 TMT 38.77

-69.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$2.89 TMT 9.67

-60.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$6.81 TMT 22.80

-43.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

$2.23 TMT 7.48

-17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

$1.38 TMT 4.61

173.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

$2.05 TMT 6.87

-53.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

$1.73 TMT 5.81

-40.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$1.16 TMT 3.90

-43.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

$16.92 TMT 56.7

-52.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

$208 TMT 698

680.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Mary: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Mary

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Mary

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Mary

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Mary

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Mary

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Mary

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Mary

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 681% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇹🇲 Mary

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

14:04 2:04 PM

3 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

123,000

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Turkmenistani Manat TMT m

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 TMT = 0.299 USD

1 TMT = 0.266 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.35 TMT (1 TMT = 0.299 USD). 1 EUR = 3.76 TMT (1 TMT = 0.266 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Mary 3,620 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

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Budapest
Mary

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 242%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $711 in Mary. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,621 in Budapest and $474 in Mary. That's a gap of about 242%.

Groceries cost about 164% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mary, where all-in costs run around $474, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Mary it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mary – 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 Mary. 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.