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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $1,352 in Osaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $2,031 in Osaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $2,710 in Osaka, rent included.

Budapest costs about 6% more than Osaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Budapest and Osaka sit above the global median – Budapest by 7%, Osaka by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,584

$6.95 ¥1,113

65.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.2K

$34.82 ¥5,574

67.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,688

$4.95 ¥792

73.94%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 866

$3.32 ¥532

-16.27%

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

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.09 ¥174

58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 417

$0.72 ¥116

86.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 879

$2.79 ¥447

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 891

$4.37 ¥699

-34.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 383

$1.58 ¥254

-22.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 521

$1.47 ¥236

13.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 636

$4.65 ¥744

-56.13%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 955

$2.36 ¥378

29.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,191

$10.40 ¥1,665

-1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,980

$6.50 ¥1,040

-2.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,179

$19.26 ¥3,083

-30.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 595

$3.63 ¥582

-47.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 599

$2.09 ¥335

-8.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 680

$2.47 ¥395

-11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,130

$4.35 ¥696

-16.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 351

$1.65 ¥264

-32.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 377

$1.30 ¥208

-6.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 462

$1.34 ¥214

10.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.84 ¥135

-30.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,046

$3.81 ¥609

72.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,791

$9.20 ¥1,473

-37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 357

$2.08 ¥332

-44.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 517

$2.98 ¥477

-44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 397

$1.58 ¥253

-19.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,201

$35.89 ¥5,746

-26.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 977

$4.49 ¥718

-30.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 346

$3.39 ¥542

-67.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,910

$23.90 ¥3,826

-20.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 556

$1.23 ¥197

44.72%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$23.4K ¥3.7M

9.80%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$17.2K ¥2.8M

76.52%

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

$148 Ft 46.2K

$130 ¥20.9K

13.55%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,317

$27.23 ¥4,358

-2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,229

$30.85 ¥4,938

-35.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$58.6 ¥9,374

9.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,840

$20.43 ¥3,271

7.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,726

$12.38 ¥1,981

-29.40%

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

$463 Ft 144.6K

$69.4 ¥11.1K

568.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$10.4K ¥1.7M

16.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.8K

$43.94 ¥7,034

95.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.5K

$29.63 ¥4,743

45.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.9K

$68.8 ¥11.0K

39.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.4K

$94.8 ¥15.2K

9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 229.5K

$733 ¥117.3K

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.6K

$467 ¥74.8K

19.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 422.7K

$1,275 ¥204.1K

6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 303.4K

$822 ¥131.7K

18.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.9M

$5,986 ¥958.2K

-0.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$2,086 ¥333.9K

101.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 541.8K

$1,989 ¥318.4K

-12.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

1.81

288.40%

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

Last update for Budapest: April 26, 2026

Last update for Osaka: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $733 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 15% 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 $58.0 in Budapest versus $35.00 in Osaka. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $300 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 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,157 per month in Budapest and $2,027 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 37% less in Osaka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $69.4 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 $1,352, than in Budapest at $1,438. 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.