Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Osaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Osaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Budapest vs $1,421 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Budapest vs $2,048 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,675 in Osaka, rent included.

Budapest costs about 22% more than Osaka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Osaka sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Osaka by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$6.40 ¥983

123.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$32.97 ¥5,063

91.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$5.24 ¥805

114.12%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$2.95 ¥452

15.93%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$1.42 ¥218

52.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$0.75 ¥115

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$2.67 ¥410

46.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$3.99 ¥613

-4.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.47 ¥226

-17.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.38 ¥212

44.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$5.60 ¥861

-54.64%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$2.10 ¥323

100.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$9.98 ¥1,532

21.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$9.54 ¥1,465

-26.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$18.71 ¥2,873

-18.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$3.47 ¥533

-41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$1.98 ¥303

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$2.05 ¥315

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$4.02 ¥617

0.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.60 ¥246

-35.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$1.19 ¥183

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$1.39 ¥214

22.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.85 ¥130

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$3.97 ¥610

110.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$9.49 ¥1,457

-32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$1.91 ¥293

-29.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$3.28 ¥504

-32.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

$1.39 ¥214

17.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

$32.85 ¥5,044

-10.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$3.80 ¥583

-9.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$3.34 ¥512

-57.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$21.84 ¥3,354

-2.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.10 ¥168

75.45%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$22.6K ¥3.5M

41.43%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$15.2K ¥2.3M

131.95%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$141 ¥21.6K

23.74%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$25.14 ¥3,860

2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$31.21 ¥4,792

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$54.4 ¥8,347

31.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

$18.69 ¥2,871

6.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$12.38 ¥1,902

-17.77%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$526 ¥80.8K

7.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$13.2K ¥2.0M

31.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$49.05 ¥7,532

123.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$31.73 ¥4,873

43.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$74.4 ¥11.4K

59.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$91.7 ¥14.1K

36.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$717 ¥110.1K

18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$524 ¥80.5K

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$1,746 ¥268.1K

-4.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$798 ¥122.6K

61.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$6,373 ¥978.6K

-6.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$1,960 ¥300.9K

109.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

$2,336 ¥358.7K

-25.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

2.21

196.83%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Osaka: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Budapest versus $717 in Osaka. 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 35% higher in Osaka, 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $33.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Budapest vs $309 in Osaka – 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 Osaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,594 per month in Budapest and $2,131 in Osaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 12% less in Osaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Budapest and $526 in Osaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Osaka, where all-in costs run around $1,421, than in Budapest at $1,730. In Osaka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Osaka – 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 Osaka. 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.