Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Scarborough

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,466 in Scarborough, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Scarborough
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Scarborough Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Scarborough

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,466

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Scarborough

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $2,466 in Scarborough, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Scarborough $2,466

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $3,385 in Scarborough, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Scarborough $3,385

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $4,304 in Scarborough, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Scarborough $4,304

Budapest is about 34% cheaper than Scarborough, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Budapest and Scarborough sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Scarborough by 83%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$16.49 CA$23.31

-15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$68.8 CA$97.2

-10.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$10.56 CA$14.93

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.87 CA$5.47

-15.76%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$2.07 CA$2.92

3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$1.37 CA$1.94

29.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$6.24 CA$8.82

-40.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$7.08 CA$10.01

-46.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.51 CA$3.56

-54.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$2.68 CA$3.78

-33.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$2.13 CA$3.01

16.90%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$3.45 CA$4.88

13.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$8.94 CA$12.63

24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$11.01 CA$15.56

-39.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$12.57 CA$17.77

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.22 CA$4.56

-43.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.21 CA$1.71

69.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$3.39 CA$4.79

-30.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$4.00 CA$5.65

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.65 CA$2.33

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.58 CA$2.24

-36.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$2.28 CA$3.22

-30.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$1.19 CA$1.68

-43.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$13.74 CA$19.43

-42.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$12.75 CA$18.03

-51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.11 CA$2.99

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$2.51 CA$3.55

-19.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$2.35 CA$3.32

-35.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$103 CA$146

-72.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$2.95 CA$4.17

12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.26 CA$1.79

8.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$21.32 CA$30.14

-6.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.21 CA$1.72

50.41%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$27.5K CA$38.8K

8.53%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$19.9K CA$28.1K

70.17%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$141 CA$199

21.74%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$34.98 CA$49.45

-32.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$47.92 CA$67.7

-51.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$35.43 CA$50.1

90.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$35.38 CA$50.0

-46.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$12.45 CA$17.60

-25.30%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$808 CA$1,142

-33.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$10.4K CA$14.7K

61.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$51.5 CA$72.9

93.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$39.00 CA$55.1

11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$84.4 CA$119

30.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$103 CA$146

15.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$1,695 CA$2,396

-50.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$1,342 CA$1,898

-53.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$2,130 CA$3,011

-25.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$1,736 CA$2,454

-32.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$7,564 CA$10.7K

-22.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$6,121 CA$8,653

-36.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,908 CA$4,111

-43.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.55

41.76%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Scarborough: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Scarborough

$1.3K 54.4% 116% $720

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Scarborough

$323 13.1% 25.3% $65

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Scarborough

$269 10.9% 20.7% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Scarborough

$223 9.1% 2.5% $5.5

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Scarborough

$125 5.1% 25.3% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Scarborough

$60 2.5% 30% $26

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Scarborough

$122 5% 176% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $1,695 in Scarborough. 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 76% higher in Scarborough, 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 $69.0 in Scarborough. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $323 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇨🇦 Scarborough

🕒 Local time

23:22 11:22 PM

17:22 5:22 PM

6 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

29,960

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Budapest Scarborough 7,110 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Scarborough

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 Scarborough: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Scarborough is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $3,699 in Scarborough. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 269% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $808 in Scarborough. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Scarborough at $2,466. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Scarborough it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Scarborough makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.