Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Rayong

For one person, living is cheaper in Rayong: $940 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Rayong
🇹🇭 Thailand
$940
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Rayong

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $940 in Rayong, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Rayong $940

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,191 in Rayong, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Rayong $1,191

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,443 in Rayong, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Rayong $1,443

Budapest costs about 72% more than Rayong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Rayong is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$2.89 ฿96.7
382.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$17.80 ฿595
243.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$6.42 ฿214
58.72%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$1.62 ฿54.1
101.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$0.51 ฿17.16
319.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.28 ฿9.43
535.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$1.73 ฿57.9
114.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$3.05 ฿102
23.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.87 ฿62.7
-38.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.30 ฿43.53
37.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$1.42 ฿47.48
75.35%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$2.61 ฿87.2
49.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$17.02 ฿569
-34.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$2.91 ฿97.2
127.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$13.02 ฿435
12.83%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$3.29 ฿110
-44.38%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$1.75 ฿58.5
17.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$2.24 ฿74.9
5.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$1.90 ฿63.4
105.26%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.68 ฿56.2
-41.07%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$1.50 ฿50.2
-33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.28 ฿42.68
23.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.52 ฿17.42
28.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$4.52 ฿151
76.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$15.09 ฿504
-58.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$1.82 ฿60.9
-30.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$3.21 ฿107
-36.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$1.06 ฿35.47
212.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$1.21 ฿40.35
13.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$6.03 ฿202
228.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.42 ฿47.32
28.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$31.2K ฿1.0M
-4.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$27.2K ฿910.6K
24.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$44.28 ฿1,480
286.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$14.92 ฿499
57.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$11.83 ฿395
96.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$66.8 ฿2,231
1.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$17.63 ฿589
7.15%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$6.59 ฿220
41.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$574 ฿19.2K
-7.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$16.3K ฿546.3K
2.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$69.7 ฿2,330
42.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$43.37 ฿1,449
0.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$98.2 ฿3,283
12.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$108 ฿3,625
9.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$419 ฿14.0K
98.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$295 ฿9,859
110.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$2,027 ฿67.8K
91.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Rayong
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$469 ฿15.7K
251.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5.25
22.86%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rayong: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Rayong
$295 52.6% $327
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Rayong
$263 2% $5.1
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Rayong
$80 64.2% $143
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Rayong
$71 67.4% $147
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Rayong
$144 14.1% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Rayong
$80 7.2% $6.2
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Rayong
$7.1 * 84% $37

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $419 in Rayong. 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 252% 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $18.00 in Rayong. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $263 in Rayong – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇹🇭 Rayong
🕒 Local time
00:37 12:37 AM
05:37 5:37 AM
5 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
63,565
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 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 Rayong 8,390 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Rayong

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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rayong cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 72%, 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 $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,410 in Rayong. 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 Rayong, 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 Rayong?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $18.00 in Rayong. 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 Rayong?
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 $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Rayong?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rayong, where all-in costs run around $940, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Rayong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Rayong more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rayong – 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 Rayong?
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 Rayong. 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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