Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and San Fernando

For one person, living is cheaper in San Fernando: $703 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in San Fernando
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San Fernando Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

San Fernando

🇵🇭 Philippines

$703

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in San Fernando

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $703 in San Fernando, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
San Fernando $703

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,059 in San Fernando, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
San Fernando $1,059

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,415 in San Fernando, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
San Fernando $1,415

Budapest costs about 130% more than San Fernando, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while San Fernando is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$4.01 ₱252

247.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$16.71 ₱1,052

266.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$2.88 ₱181

253.82%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$1.77 ₱112

84.18%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.38 ₱23.97

463.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.31 ₱19.32

474.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$0.97 ₱61.2

282.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$1.25 ₱78.5

201.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.70 ₱107

-32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.11 ₱70.1

61.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$0.99 ₱62.2

151.52%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.00 ₱126

95.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$4.95 ₱311

124.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$3.37 ₱212

96.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$7.79 ₱490

88.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$2.19 ₱138

-16.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.26 ₱79.2

62.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$2.32 ₱146

2.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.07 ₱67.1

264.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.69 ₱106

-41.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.57 ₱99.0

-36.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.62 ₱39.14

154.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.53 ₱33.09

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$2.97 ₱187

168.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$8.92 ₱561

-30.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$0.97 ₱60.8

30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.30 ₱81.7

56.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.26 ₱16.12

484.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$11.02 ₱694

154.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.67 ₱41.89

394.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.23 ₱14.36

495.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$0.94 ₱59.3

2009.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.01 ₱63.8

80.20%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$21.3K ₱1.3M

39.97%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

78.37%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$141 ₱8,907

20.96%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$17.77 ₱1,119

32.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$23.40 ₱1,473

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$32.05 ₱2,018

110.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$4.68 ₱295

303.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$4.82 ₱303

92.95%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$80.0 ₱5,033

567.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$1,118 ₱70.4K

1398.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$19.46 ₱1,225

411.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$16.21 ₱1,021

168.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$32.14 ₱2,023

243.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$48.08 ₱3,027

147.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$262 ₱16.5K

216.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$170 ₱10.7K

265.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$523 ₱32.9K

204.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$356 ₱22.4K

228.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$2,438 ₱153.5K

139.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$994 ₱62.6K

291.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$339 ₱21.3K

387.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

7.50%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

San Fernando

$170 24.2% 72.6% $452

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

San Fernando

$170 24.3% 33.9% $87

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

San Fernando

$72 10.3% 67.7% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

San Fernando

$183 26% 16.2% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

San Fernando

$52 7.4% 68.9% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

San Fernando

$42 5.9% 51.6% $44

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

San Fernando

$14 2% 68.7% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $262 in San Fernando. 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 387% 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 $17.00 in San Fernando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $170 – making San Fernando the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇵🇭 San Fernando

🕒 Local time

19:41 7:41 PM

01:41 1:41 AM

6 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

354,666

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Budapest San Fernando 9,630 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
San Fernando

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 San Fernando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 130%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,055 in San Fernando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 154% less in San Fernando. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $80.0 in San Fernando. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Budapest at $1,619. In San Fernando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando – 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 San Fernando. 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.