Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Serowe

For one person, living is cheaper in Serowe: $79.9 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 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

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

Serowe

🇧🇼 Botswana

$79.9

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Serowe

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

A single person spends $1,647 per month in Budapest vs $80 in Serowe, rent included.

Budapest $1,647
Serowe $80

A couple spends around $2,567 per month in Budapest vs $140 in Serowe, rent included.

Budapest $2,567
Serowe $140

A family of three spends $3,488 per month in Budapest vs $200 in Serowe, rent included.

Budapest $3,488
Serowe $200

Budapest costs about 1962% more than Serowe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 22% above the global median, while Serowe is 94% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.63 Ft 4,419

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 Ft 19.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 Ft 3,248

Cappuccino

$3.33 Ft 1,078

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

$2.12 Ft 686

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 Ft 583

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Ft 1,169

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Ft 1,163

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Ft 362

$1.36 P 18.10

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 Ft 624

$1.11 P 14.73

73.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 806

Eggs

$3.94 Ft 1,278

$1.76 P 23.47

123.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 Ft 3,656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 Ft 2,183

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 Ft 4,682

$4.15 P 55.3

247.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 603

$1.33 P 17.75

39.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 660

$1.03 P 13.77

98.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Ft 742

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 Ft 1,294

$1.58 P 21.04

152.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 Ft 305

$1.47 P 19.55

-36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 331

$1.34 P 17.80

-23.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 Ft 536

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 221

$0.66 P 8.83

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.81 Ft 2,533

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 Ft 1,952

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 419

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 Ft 656

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 485

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 Ft 8,792

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 Ft 1,088

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 445

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 Ft 6,468

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 Ft 604

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

$28.5K Ft 9.2M

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

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

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

$178 Ft 57.8K

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

$23.58 Ft 7,643

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Ft 7,817

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 Ft 22.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 Ft 5,520

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 Ft 3,397

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

$625 Ft 202.6K

$107 P 1,433

481.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K Ft 6.4M

$1,739 P 23.2K

1029.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 Ft 33.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 Ft 14.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 39.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 Ft 274.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 Ft 206.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 Ft 521.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 Ft 394.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,724 Ft 559.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Last update for Serowe: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$638 38.8%

Serowe

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$260 15.8%

Serowe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$226 13.7%

Serowe

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$220 13.4%

Serowe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.3%

Serowe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$91 5.5%

Serowe

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.6%

Serowe

–

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇧🇼 Serowe

🕒 Local time

11:02 11:02 AM

12:02 12:02 PM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

47,447

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 BWP = 7.5 USD

100 BWP = 6.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 324 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD). 1 EUR = 364 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 13.33 BWP (100 BWP = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 14.97 BWP (100 BWP = 6.68 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Serowe 7,810 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

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Serowe

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 Serowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 1962%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,471 per month in Budapest and $120 in Serowe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 225% more in Budapest, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $625 per month in Budapest and $107 in Serowe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Serowe, where all-in costs run around $80, than in Budapest at $1,647. In Serowe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Budapest has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $80 in Serowe to $1,647 in Budapest. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.