Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Shizuoka

For one person, living is cheaper in Shizuoka: $1,138 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 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
55

Cost of Living Index in Shizuoka
Learn more

Shizuoka Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Shizuoka

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Shizuoka

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,138 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Shizuoka $1,138

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,789 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Shizuoka $1,789

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,441 in Shizuoka, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Shizuoka $2,441

Budapest costs about 42% more than Shizuoka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Shizuoka is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$6.42 ¥1,015

117.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$31.81 ¥5,026

92.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$5.08 ¥802

100.59%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.96 ¥468

10.14%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.97 ¥152

120.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.76 ¥119

134.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$2.75 ¥435

34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$3.83 ¥605

-1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.51 ¥239

-23.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.25 ¥198

43.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$4.49 ¥709

-44.54%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.83 ¥289

113.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$7.11 ¥1,123

56.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$5.40 ¥853

22.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$14.11 ¥2,229

4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.29 ¥519

-44.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.93 ¥305

6.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$3.42 ¥541

-30.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$3.13 ¥495

24.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.51 ¥239

-34.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.13 ¥179

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.11 ¥176

42.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.86 ¥135

-22.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.86 ¥610

106.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$8.70 ¥1,375

-28.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.48 ¥233

-14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.24 ¥512

-37.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.79 ¥283

-15.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$53.9 ¥8,514

-48.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$3.46 ¥546

-4.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.86 ¥293

-26.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$19.01 ¥3,003

4.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.04 ¥165

75.00%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$21.7K ¥3.4M

37.39%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$15.3K ¥2.4M

121.33%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$138 ¥21.8K

23.96%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$15.18 ¥2,398

54.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$30.16 ¥4,764

-22.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$52.6 ¥8,316

28.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$10.82 ¥1,709

74.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$12.21 ¥1,928

-23.83%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$320 ¥50.5K

66.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$13.3K ¥2.1M

26.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$18.49 ¥2,921

438.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$21.38 ¥3,378

103.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$61.6 ¥9,725

79.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$90.5 ¥14.3K

31.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$331 ¥52.3K

150.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$333 ¥52.6K

86.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,084 ¥171.2K

47.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$731 ¥115.5K

60.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$4,146 ¥655.0K

40.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,741 ¥275.0K

123.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,232 ¥352.7K

-26.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

545.00%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Shizuoka: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Shizuoka

$333 29.3% 46.5% $289

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Shizuoka

$254 22.3% 1.6% $4.2

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Shizuoka

$131 11.5% 41.5% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Shizuoka

$183 16.1% 15.8% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Shizuoka

$86 7.6% 48.5% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Shizuoka

$77 6.8% 10.5% $9.1

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Shizuoka

$74 6.5% 66.8% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $331 in Shizuoka. 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 35% higher in Shizuoka, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $32.00 in Shizuoka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $254 – making Shizuoka the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇯🇵 Shizuoka

🕒 Local time

11:29 11:29 AM

18:29 6:29 PM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

701,803

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, 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).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Shizuoka 9,040 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Budapest vs Shizuoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,706 in Shizuoka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 92% less in Shizuoka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $320 in Shizuoka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shizuoka, where all-in costs run around $1,138, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Shizuoka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shizuoka – 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 Shizuoka. 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.