Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Pecs Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Pecs

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,222 in Pecs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,821 in Pecs, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,419 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest costs about 19% more than Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Pecs is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,504

$8.71 Ft 2,656

31.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$42.47 Ft 13.0K

33.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,641

$8.74 Ft 2,665

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 844

$2.19 Ft 667

26.48%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$1.11 Ft 338

62.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 407

$0.93 Ft 284

43.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 858

$1.60 Ft 488

75.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 852

$2.13 Ft 650

30.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 368

$1.11 Ft 339

9.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 529

$1.55 Ft 472

12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 636

$1.84 Ft 562

13.04%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 947

$2.50 Ft 761

24.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,034

$9.42 Ft 2,873

5.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,930

$5.87 Ft 1,791

7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,066

$14.53 Ft 4,432

-8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 565

$2.02 Ft 617

-8.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 582

$2.03 Ft 619

-5.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 662

$2.19 Ft 668

-0.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,119

$3.60 Ft 1,097

1.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.26 Ft 384

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.24 Ft 379

-1.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 472

$1.75 Ft 533

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$0.54 Ft 165

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,072

$7.30 Ft 2,227

-6.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,790

$4.80 Ft 1,464

22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.21 Ft 368

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 527

$2.04 Ft 622

-15.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$1.46 Ft 444

-12.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,972

$24.15 Ft 7,364

8.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 994

$3.15 Ft 961

3.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.11 Ft 338

1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,865

$22.89 Ft 6,980

-15.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 533

$1.78 Ft 543

-1.69%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$27.3K Ft 8.3M

-5.22%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$31.7K Ft 9.7M

-3.00%

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

$145 Ft 44.3K

$162 Ft 49.6K

-10.64%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,995

$27.04 Ft 8,247

-3.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,170

$19.57 Ft 5,967

3.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$45.01 Ft 13.7K

37.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,744

$22.00 Ft 6,708

0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,791

$8.12 Ft 2,477

12.68%

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

$454 Ft 138.4K

$402 Ft 122.6K

12.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$7,225 Ft 2.2M

67.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$90.6 Ft 27.6K

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$44.59 Ft 13.6K

-6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$94.5 Ft 28.8K

1.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$102 Ft 31.0K

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 219.2K

$497 Ft 151.4K

44.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.6K

$370 Ft 112.9K

49.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

$675 Ft 206.0K

100.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 300.0K

$556 Ft 169.4K

77.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$3,528 Ft 1.1M

71.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$3,005 Ft 916.5K

48.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

$1,140 Ft 347.8K

60.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

-12.12%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pecs: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $497 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 61% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $42.00 in Pecs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $234 – making Pecs the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Pecs: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 19%, 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 $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,833 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 8% less in Pecs. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $402 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 $1,222, than in Budapest at $1,450. 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.