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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $1,406 in Pecs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $2,166 in Pecs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $2,925 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest costs about 22% more than Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Pecs sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Pecs by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,465

$12.52 Ft 3,895

14.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 19.7K

$58.4 Ft 18.2K

8.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,493

$9.70 Ft 3,017

15.77%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,058

$2.57 Ft 801

32.30%

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

$2.14 Ft 667

$1.36 Ft 422

57.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 632

$1.33 Ft 415

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,162

$1.79 Ft 556

108.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,179

$2.50 Ft 777

51.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.28 Ft 399

-3.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.65 Ft 513

15.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 803

$2.60 Ft 808

-0.77%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,287

$3.35 Ft 1,044

23.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,868

$10.76 Ft 3,349

15.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,146

$6.87 Ft 2,139

0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,777

$16.56 Ft 5,153

-7.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 645

$2.54 Ft 791

-18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 676

$2.33 Ft 724

-6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 776

$2.67 Ft 830

-6.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,278

$4.15 Ft 1,290

-0.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 322

$1.19 Ft 370

-13.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 310

$1.41 Ft 440

-29.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 494

$1.86 Ft 579

-14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 212

$0.57 Ft 177

19.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,609

$8.81 Ft 2,741

-4.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 1,984

$4.90 Ft 1,525

30.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 414

$1.41 Ft 440

-5.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 701

$2.64 Ft 820

-14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 491

$1.55 Ft 483

1.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,954

$24.05 Ft 7,483

19.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,110

$3.42 Ft 1,063

4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 445

$1.50 Ft 465

-4.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,405

$25.71 Ft 8,000

-19.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 582

$1.84 Ft 572

1.63%

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

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

$31.2K Ft 9.7M

1.78%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

$38.8K Ft 12.1M

-7.36%

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

$173 Ft 54.0K

$174 Ft 54.1K

-0.31%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,080

$21.33 Ft 6,635

21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 7,855

$21.72 Ft 6,758

16.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

$48.79 Ft 15.2K

46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,975

$19.40 Ft 6,037

-1.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,038

$8.95 Ft 2,784

9.05%

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

$577 Ft 179.5K

$444 Ft 138.0K

30.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

$7,900 Ft 2.5M

123.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.2K

$106 Ft 33.1K

0.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

$53.8 Ft 16.8K

-17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.2K

$101 Ft 31.3K

15.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$114 Ft 35.5K

5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 267.1K

$645 Ft 200.8K

33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 208.8K

$457 Ft 142.1K

46.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 520.1K

$1,007 Ft 313.2K

66.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 403.1K

$707 Ft 219.8K

83.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$3,467 Ft 1.1M

75.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$2,909 Ft 905.0K

43.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 531.6K

$1,115 Ft 346.9K

53.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

-16.50%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Pecs: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $645 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 53% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $58.0 in Pecs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $270 – 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 22%, 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 $2,581 per month in Budapest and $2,109 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 20% less in Pecs. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Budapest and $444 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 $1,406, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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.