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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,694 per month in Budapest vs $1,398 in Pecs, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,658 per month in Budapest vs $2,163 in Pecs, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,622 per month in Budapest vs $2,927 in Pecs, rent included.

Budapest costs about 21% more than Pecs, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Pecs sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Pecs by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.78 Ft 4,317

$12.50 Ft 3,917

10.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 Ft 20.9K

$59.2 Ft 18.6K

12.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 Ft 3,461

$9.65 Ft 3,025

14.40%

Cappuccino

$3.39 Ft 1,062

$2.52 Ft 790

34.52%

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

$2.02 Ft 633

$1.39 Ft 437

45.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 Ft 606

$1.33 Ft 415

45.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 Ft 1,160

$1.85 Ft 581

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 Ft 1,167

$2.46 Ft 771

51.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 386

$1.24 Ft 390

-0.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 Ft 581

$1.65 Ft 517

12.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 790

$2.57 Ft 806

-1.95%

Eggs

$4.13 Ft 1,294

$3.21 Ft 1,007

28.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.39 Ft 3,884

$10.84 Ft 3,398

14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 Ft 2,156

$6.80 Ft 2,132

1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 Ft 4,882

$16.69 Ft 5,231

-6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 Ft 656

$2.47 Ft 774

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 Ft 707

$2.36 Ft 740

-4.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 764

$2.68 Ft 839

-8.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 Ft 1,195

$4.18 Ft 1,309

-8.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 Ft 336

$1.12 Ft 350

-4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 Ft 340

$1.45 Ft 455

-25.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 Ft 545

$1.94 Ft 607

-10.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 Ft 199

$0.60 Ft 187

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.28 Ft 2,594

$8.69 Ft 2,723

-4.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 Ft 1,933

$4.70 Ft 1,473

31.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 411

$1.35 Ft 424

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 707

$2.65 Ft 830

-15.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 Ft 488

$1.61 Ft 505

-3.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.73 Ft 9,004

$24.04 Ft 7,534

19.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 Ft 1,110

$3.52 Ft 1,102

0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 Ft 444

$1.55 Ft 485

-8.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.49 Ft 6,420

$25.07 Ft 7,857

-18.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.84 Ft 577

4.89%

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

$31.5K Ft 9.9M

-0.23%

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

$34.6K Ft 10.8M

$38.2K Ft 12.0M

-9.34%

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

$177 Ft 55.4K

$173 Ft 54.2K

2.24%

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

$24.99 Ft 7,830

$21.37 Ft 6,696

16.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.13 Ft 7,873

$21.53 Ft 6,746

16.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.2 Ft 22.0K

$49.21 Ft 15.4K

42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.57 Ft 5,820

$19.09 Ft 5,981

-2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.29 Ft 2,911

$9.34 Ft 2,926

-0.54%

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

$547 Ft 171.3K

$446 Ft 139.7K

22.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K Ft 5.4M

$8,045 Ft 2.5M

116.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 Ft 32.8K

$104 Ft 32.5K

1.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.28 Ft 13.9K

$52.7 Ft 16.5K

-15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.4K

$100.0 Ft 31.3K

16.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$113 Ft 35.3K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 Ft 280.0K

$645 Ft 202.2K

38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$677 Ft 212.2K

$458 Ft 143.7K

47.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 Ft 518.3K

$1,014 Ft 317.7K

63.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 Ft 395.9K

$716 Ft 224.4K

76.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,952 Ft 1.9M

$3,451 Ft 1.1M

72.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,988 Ft 1.2M

$2,918 Ft 914.3K

36.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,763 Ft 552.5K

$1,113 Ft 348.7K

58.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

-15.75%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 9, 2026

Last update for Pecs: August 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $894 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 58% 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 $67.0 in Budapest versus $59.0 in Pecs. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $272 vs $269 – 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 21%, 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 $2,541 per month in Budapest and $2,098 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 $547 per month in Budapest and $446 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 $1,398, than in Budapest at $1,694. 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.