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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,181 in Pecs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $1,772 in Pecs, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $2,362 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest costs about 24% more than Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 10% above the global median, while Pecs is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,648

$8.65 Ft 2,749

32.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$42.40 Ft 13.5K

33.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,775

$8.51 Ft 2,705

2.59%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 906

$2.22 Ft 705

28.38%

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

$1.74 Ft 552

$1.15 Ft 366

51.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 416

$0.94 Ft 299

39.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 888

$1.61 Ft 512

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 932

$2.14 Ft 679

36.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 403

$1.11 Ft 353

14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 556

$1.48 Ft 472

18.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 672

$1.89 Ft 600

11.64%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,004

$2.43 Ft 771

30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,148

$9.42 Ft 2,992

5.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,008

$5.96 Ft 1,895

6.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,315

$14.30 Ft 4,543

-5.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 606

$1.96 Ft 622

-2.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$2.12 Ft 673

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 684

$2.10 Ft 668

2.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,140

$3.48 Ft 1,106

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 357

$1.26 Ft 401

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 383

$1.23 Ft 390

-1.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 490

$1.78 Ft 565

-13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$0.54 Ft 172

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,158

$7.00 Ft 2,226

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,837

$4.70 Ft 1,494

22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 381

$1.21 Ft 385

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 525

$2.12 Ft 673

-22.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 404

$1.46 Ft 464

-13.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,244

$24.16 Ft 7,677

7.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,035

$3.08 Ft 979

5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,105

$22.99 Ft 7,307

-16.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 560

$1.68 Ft 534

4.76%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

$27.1K Ft 8.6M

-3.13%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$31.1K Ft 9.9M

-1.37%

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

$144 Ft 45.6K

$167 Ft 53.1K

-14.12%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,367

$27.76 Ft 8,822

-5.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,375

$19.64 Ft 6,242

2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$43.87 Ft 13.9K

44.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,949

$21.77 Ft 6,919

0.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,828

$7.89 Ft 2,509

12.80%

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

$450 Ft 143.1K

$409 Ft 130.0K

10.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

$7,172 Ft 2.3M

69.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

$92.3 Ft 29.3K

-8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$44.00 Ft 14.0K

-3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

$94.8 Ft 30.1K

3.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$101 Ft 32.1K

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 227.2K

$495 Ft 157.2K

44.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 178.0K

$367 Ft 116.6K

52.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

$695 Ft 221.0K

92.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 308.5K

$559 Ft 177.5K

73.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

$3,487 Ft 1.1M

73.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

$2,939 Ft 933.9K

46.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

$1,082 Ft 343.9K

61.80%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Pecs: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $495 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 62% 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 $56.0 in Budapest versus $42.00 in Pecs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $232 – 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 24%, 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 $2,194 per month in Budapest and $1,772 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 7% less in Pecs. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Budapest and $409 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 $1,181, than in Budapest at $1,463. 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.