Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Matale

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

A single person spends $1,647 per month in Budapest vs $119 in Matale, rent included.

Budapest $1,647
Matale $119

A couple spends around $2,567 per month in Budapest vs $199 in Matale, rent included.

Budapest $2,567
Matale $199

A family of three spends $3,488 per month in Budapest vs $278 in Matale, rent included.

Budapest $3,488
Matale $278

Budapest costs about 1279% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 22% above the global median, while Matale is 91% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 Ft 4,407

$1.86 LKR 618

632.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 Ft 19.6K

$9.21 LKR 3,062

558.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 Ft 3,239

$4.62 LKR 1,537

116.88%

Cappuccino

$3.33 Ft 1,075

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

$2.12 Ft 684

$0.47 LKR 157

351.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 Ft 581

$0.27 LKR 89.8

566.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Ft 1,166

$2.42 LKR 805

49.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Ft 1,160

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Ft 361

$1.70 LKR 565

-34.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 Ft 623

$0.37 LKR 123

421.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$0.68 LKR 227

266.18%

Eggs

$3.94 Ft 1,275

$1.11 LKR 368

254.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 Ft 3,646

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 Ft 2,177

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 Ft 4,670

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 601

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 658

$0.58 LKR 192

251.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Ft 740

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 Ft 1,290

$0.86 LKR 285

363.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 Ft 304

$0.55 LKR 183

70.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 330

$0.52 LKR 172

96.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 Ft 534

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 221

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.81 Ft 2,526

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 Ft 1,946

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 418

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 Ft 655

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 484

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 Ft 8,769

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 Ft 1,085

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 444

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 Ft 6,451

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 Ft 603

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

$28.5K Ft 9.2M

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

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

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

$178 Ft 57.6K

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

$23.58 Ft 7,623

$3.74 LKR 1,242

530.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Ft 7,797

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 Ft 22.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 Ft 5,505

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 Ft 3,388

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

$625 Ft 202.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K Ft 6.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 39.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 Ft 273.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 Ft 206.4K

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

1801.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 Ft 520.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 Ft 393.5K

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

2401.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,724 Ft 557.5K

$184 LKR 61.1K

839.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$638 38.8%

Matale

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$260 15.8%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$226 13.7%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$220 13.4%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.3%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$91 5.5%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.6%

Matale

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Budapest are about 9.4 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Budapest versus $9 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $38 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

21:37 9:37 PM

02:07 2:07 AM

4 h 30 min ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

40,800

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Matale 7,280 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budapest vs Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 1279%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,471 per month in Budapest and $179 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 579% more in Budapest, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Budapest and $9 in Matale. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Matale, where all-in costs run around $119, than in Budapest at $1,647. In Matale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Budapest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $1,647 in Budapest. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Matale. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.