Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ranong

For one person, living is cheaper in Ranong: $976 a month against $1,641 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,641
/mo nomad
Ranong
🇹🇭 Thailand
$976
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Ranong

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

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Budapest vs $976 in Ranong, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,641
  • Ranong $976

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Budapest vs $1,650 in Ranong, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,562
  • Ranong $1,650

A family of three spends $3,483 per month in Budapest vs $2,324 in Ranong, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,483
  • Ranong $2,324

Budapest costs about 68% more than Ranong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Ranong is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.04 Ft 4,536
$4.36 ฿146
222.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9 Ft 19.7K
$32.07 ฿1,072
89.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.37 Ft 3,351
$8.46 ฿283
22.58%
Cappuccino
$3.46 Ft 1,117
$2.74 ฿91.5
26.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 Ft 669
$0.96 ฿31.98
115.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 Ft 572
$0.50 ฿16.59
254.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 Ft 1,191
$2.55 ฿85.3
44.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 Ft 1,229
$3.76 ฿126
1.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 Ft 374
$1.66 ฿55.5
-30.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 Ft 598
$1.47 ฿48.98
25.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.40 Ft 776
$1.52 ฿50.6
57.89%
Eggs
$3.99 Ft 1,289
$2.20 ฿73.4
81.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.40 Ft 3,683
$19.67 ฿657
-42.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.87 Ft 2,221
$3.30 ฿110
108.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.49 Ft 4,682
$11.09 ฿371
30.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.88 Ft 607
$2.94 ฿98.3
-36.05%
Banana (1kg)
$2.14 Ft 693
$1.64 ฿54.9
30.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 Ft 744
$2.26 ฿75.7
1.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.04 Ft 1,304
$2.07 ฿69.2
95.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 Ft 329
$1.50 ฿50.2
-32.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.31 ฿43.78
-24.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 510
$1.06 ฿35.35
49.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 Ft 225
$0.51 ฿17.01
37.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.03 Ft 2,594
$4.46 ฿149
80.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.18 Ft 1,997
$18.42 ฿616
-66.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 Ft 401
$1.81 ฿60.6
-31.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 Ft 666
$2.75 ฿92.1
-25.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.59 Ft 513
$0.79 ฿26.38
101.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.52 Ft 8,893
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.43 Ft 1,110
$1.21 ฿40.34
183.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 Ft 431
$1.07 ฿35.76
24.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.45 Ft 6,607
$3.81 ฿127
436.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.93 Ft 624
$1.48 ฿49.36
30.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K Ft 9.4M
$26.4K ฿883.5K
10.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K Ft 11.2M
$26.4K ฿881.7K
31.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 Ft 56.4K
$99.5 ฿3,324
75.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.62 Ft 7,631
$11.07 ฿370
113.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.60 Ft 7,625
$17.26 ฿577
36.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 Ft 22.2K
$43.35 ฿1,449
58.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.26 Ft 6,224
$12.40 ฿414
55.32%
Cinema Ticket
$10.31 Ft 3,333
$7.65 ฿256
34.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$535 Ft 172.9K
$548 ฿18.3K
-2.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$11.4K ฿382.5K
47.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.9 Ft 32.3K
$64.3 ฿2,147
55.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.27 Ft 14.0K
$28.31 ฿946
52.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 Ft 36.1K
$95.8 ฿3,203
16.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$89.6 ฿2,993
32.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$832 Ft 268.8K
$467 ฿15.6K
78.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 203.3K
$268 ฿8,954
134.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,586 Ft 512.4K
$1,081 ฿36.1K
46.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,197 Ft 386.6K
$762 ฿25.5K
57.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,718 Ft 1.8M
$1,902 ฿63.6K
200.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,947 Ft 1.3M
$1,616 ฿54.0K
144.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Ranong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,712 Ft 553.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5.57
15.80%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ranong: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$629
Ranong
$268 57.4% $361
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$262
Ranong
$268 2.3% $6
Eating Out
Budapest
$226
Ranong
$119 47.4% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$222
Ranong
$128 42.4% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Ranong
$125 25.6% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$89
Ranong
$59 34.5% $31
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Ranong
$9.7 * 77.9% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Budapest versus $467 in Ranong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $32.00 in Ranong. Groceries tell a different story – $262 in Budapest vs $268 in Ranong – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇹🇭 Ranong
🕒 Local time
18:19 6:19 PM
23:19 11:19 PM
5 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
16,163
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Ranong 8,410 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Ranong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ranong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ranong cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Budapest and $1,464 in Ranong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ranong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Budapest or in Ranong?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $32.00 in Ranong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Budapest and in Ranong?
Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Ranong?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ranong, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Budapest at $1,641. In Ranong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Ranong more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ranong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Ranong?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Ranong. 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.

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