Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Pecs

For one person, living is cheaper in Pecs: $1,357 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 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
66

Cost of Living Index in Pecs
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Pecs Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Pecs

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,357

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Pecs

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,357 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Pecs $1,357

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,072 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Pecs $2,072

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,786 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Pecs $2,786

Budapest costs about 19% more than Pecs, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Budapest and Pecs sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Pecs by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$11.50 Ft 3,717

21.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$61.8 Ft 20.0K

-0.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$9.20 Ft 2,973

10.76%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.50 Ft 808

30.40%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$1.30 Ft 420

64.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$1.28 Ft 414

39.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$1.69 Ft 546

119.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$2.34 Ft 755

61.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.19 Ft 384

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.61 Ft 521

11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$2.47 Ft 798

0.81%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$3.23 Ft 1,044

20.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$10.11 Ft 3,265

9.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$6.64 Ft 2,147

-0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$16.09 Ft 5,198

-8.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$2.46 Ft 794

-25.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$2.30 Ft 742

-10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$2.56 Ft 827

-7.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$4.02 Ft 1,300

-2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.10 Ft 355

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.36 Ft 439

-26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.85 Ft 598

-14.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.58 Ft 188

15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$8.61 Ft 2,782

-7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$4.52 Ft 1,461

37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.30 Ft 422

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$2.50 Ft 807

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.49 Ft 482

2.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$23.02 Ft 7,438

21.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.41 Ft 1,102

-2.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.43 Ft 463

-4.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$24.25 Ft 7,833

-18.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.82 Ft 587

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$30.1K Ft 9.7M

-0.96%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$36.2K Ft 11.7M

-6.59%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$171 Ft 55.4K

-0.20%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$20.62 Ft 6,662

14.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$20.67 Ft 6,680

12.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$47.20 Ft 15.2K

43.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$18.25 Ft 5,898

3.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$8.62 Ft 2,785

7.89%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$427 Ft 137.8K

25.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$7,588 Ft 2.5M

120.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$99.0 Ft 32.0K

0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$52.0 Ft 16.8K

-16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$95.3 Ft 30.8K

15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$110 Ft 35.5K

8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$607 Ft 196.2K

36.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$447 Ft 144.3K

39.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$981 Ft 317.0K

62.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$690 Ft 223.0K

69.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$3,322 Ft 1.1M

75.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$2,804 Ft 905.9K

38.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$1,071 Ft 345.9K

54.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

-19.37%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pecs: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Pecs

$447 32.9% 28.2% $175

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Pecs

$260 19.2% 0.8% $2.1

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Pecs

$173 12.8% 22.4% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Pecs

$213 15.7% 2.4% $5.2

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Pecs

$160 11.8% 4.4% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Pecs

$64 4.8% 25.2% $22

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Pecs

$40 2.9% 10.6% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $607 in Pecs. 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 54% higher in Budapest, 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $62.0 in Pecs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $260 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇭🇺 Pecs

🕒 Local time

09:50 9:50 AM

Same time as Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

140,330

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Budapest vs Pecs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $2,035 in Pecs. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 22% less in Pecs. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $427 in Pecs. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pecs, where all-in costs run around $1,357, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Pecs it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pecs – 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 Pecs. 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.