Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ottawa

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,388 in Ottawa, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa
Learn more

Ottawa Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Ottawa

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,388

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Ottawa

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $2,388 in Ottawa, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Ottawa $2,388

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $3,474 in Ottawa, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Ottawa $3,474

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $4,559 in Ottawa, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Ottawa $4,559

Budapest is about 32% cheaper than Ottawa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Ottawa sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Ottawa by 78%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

$18.59 CA$26.44

-24.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

$77.0 CA$110

-21.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$10.60 CA$15.08

-6.04%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

$3.94 CA$5.60

-14.21%

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

$2.13 Ft 693

$2.01 CA$2.86

5.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

$1.78 CA$2.53

5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$5.57 CA$7.92

-32.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

$6.19 CA$8.80

-42.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$2.29 CA$3.26

-50.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

$3.10 CA$4.41

-40.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$3.21 CA$4.56

-25.55%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$3.47 CA$4.94

10.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

$10.47 CA$14.90

8.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

$11.17 CA$15.88

-39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

$17.68 CA$25.14

-16.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

$3.76 CA$5.35

-51.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

$1.38 CA$1.97

45.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$3.77 CA$5.36

-37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

$3.54 CA$5.04

6.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

$2.65 CA$3.77

-63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

$2.41 CA$3.43

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$2.63 CA$3.75

-40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$1.59 CA$2.27

-58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

$14.49 CA$20.61

-45.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

$11.80 CA$16.78

-49.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

$2.61 CA$3.71

-50.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

$3.29 CA$4.68

-36.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

$2.77 CA$3.94

-45.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

$93.9 CA$134

-70.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

$2.72 CA$3.87

21.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.51 CA$2.15

-13.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

$19.16 CA$27.26

3.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$1.20 CA$1.71

50.83%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

$27.8K CA$39.6K

5.39%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$21.1K CA$30.0K

61.92%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$136 CA$194

24.85%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

$36.63 CA$52.1

-34.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

$50.4 CA$71.7

-53.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$45.79 CA$65.1

44.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

$27.77 CA$39.51

-30.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

$12.82 CA$18.24

-25.74%

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

$913 CA$1,298

-41.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$16.1K CA$22.9K

2.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$61.2 CA$87.1

65.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$38.63 CA$55.0

11.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$106 CA$151

6.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

$97.6 CA$139

21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

$1,490 CA$2,119

-45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

$1,206 CA$1,715

-47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

$2,204 CA$3,135

-29.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

$1,836 CA$2,612

-36.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$4,287 CA$6,098

31.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$4,457 CA$6,339

-10.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

$3,712 CA$5,280

-56.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

4.14

55.31%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ottawa: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Ottawa

$1.2K 50.2% 91.6% $577

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Ottawa

$366 15.3% 42.3% $109

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Ottawa

$283 11.8% 26.3% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Ottawa

$223 9.3% 2.7% $5.8

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Ottawa

$137 5.7% 19.3% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Ottawa

$71 3% 16.2% $14

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Ottawa

$115 4.8% 165% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $1,490 in Ottawa. 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 128% higher in Ottawa, 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 $60.0 in Budapest versus $77.0 in Ottawa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $366 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇨🇦 Ottawa

🕒 Local time

06:54 6:54 AM

00:54 12:54 AM

6 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,000,000 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 CAD = 0.703 USD

1 CAD = 0.627 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, 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).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Ottawa 6,770 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
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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 Ottawa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ottawa is pricier by about 47%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $3,582 in Ottawa. 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 240% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $913 in Ottawa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Ottawa at $2,388. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa 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, Ottawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.