Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Selfoss

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Selfoss

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $3,460 in Selfoss, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Selfoss $3,460

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $2,461 in Selfoss, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Selfoss $2,461

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $1,462 in Selfoss, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Selfoss $1,462

Budapest is about 53% cheaper than Selfoss, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Selfoss sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Selfoss by 158%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,555

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,244

$20.81 ISK 2,536

-52.14%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,102

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

$2.13 Ft 693

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 609

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,222

$12.20 ISK 1,487

-69.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,163

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 369

$1.79 ISK 219

-36.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 600

$7.61 ISK 927

-75.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$4.46 ISK 544

-46.41%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,246

$6.56 ISK 800

-41.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,689

$17.24 ISK 2,101

-34.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,194

$21.77 ISK 2,653

-69.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,784

$33.50 ISK 4,082

-56.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 598

$2.72 ISK 332

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 654

$2.75 ISK 335

-26.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$2.65 ISK 323

-10.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,227

$7.51 ISK 915

-49.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 314

$3.21 ISK 391

-70.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 335

$2.18 ISK 266

-52.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$3.60 ISK 438

-56.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$1.44 ISK 175

-54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,594

$15.97 ISK 1,946

-50.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,956

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 677

$1.17 ISK 143

77.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 490

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,991

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,075

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,442

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

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

$29.3K Ft 9.6M

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

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

$23.98 Ft 7,809

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,628

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,245

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,101

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

$537 Ft 174.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.9K

$2,820 ISK 343.6K

-77.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 380.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Selfoss

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Selfoss

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Selfoss

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Selfoss

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Selfoss

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Selfoss

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Selfoss

–

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🕒 Local time

10:14 10:14 AM

08:14 8:14 AM

2 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

9,000

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ISK, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.21 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.32 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Selfoss 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Selfoss

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 Selfoss: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 113%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $5,190 in Selfoss. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,621 in Budapest and $3,460 in Selfoss. That's a gap of about 113%.

Groceries cost about 104% more in Selfoss, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss 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, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.