Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sopron

For one person, living is cheaper in Sopron: $1,331 a month against $1,638 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Budapest, Hungary
Sopron, Hungary
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,638
/mo nomad
Sopron
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,331
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sopron

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

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Budapest vs $1,331 in Sopron, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,638
  • Sopron $1,331

A couple spends around $2,553 per month in Budapest vs $1,975 in Sopron, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,553
  • Sopron $1,975

A family of three spends $3,467 per month in Budapest vs $2,619 in Sopron, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,467
  • Sopron $2,619

Budapest costs about 23% more than Sopron, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Sopron is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.81 Ft 4,520
$11.49 Ft 3,760
20.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.5 Ft 20.1K
$48.55 Ft 15.9K
26.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.16 Ft 3,325
$9.01 Ft 2,951
12.76%
Cappuccino
$3.22 Ft 1,054
$2.40 Ft 785
34.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 Ft 675
$1.28 Ft 420
60.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 Ft 601
$1.21 Ft 398
51.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.60 Ft 1,180
$1.64 Ft 537
119.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 Ft 1,199
$2.33 Ft 762
57.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 Ft 390
$1.18 Ft 388
0.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 Ft 612
$1.57 Ft 516
19.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 775
$2.24 Ft 734
5.80%
Eggs
$3.96 Ft 1,296
$3.20 Ft 1,047
23.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.16 Ft 3,655
$10.07 Ft 3,297
10.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.76 Ft 2,212
$6.75 Ft 2,211
0.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.35 Ft 4,698
$15.09 Ft 4,939
-4.90%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 Ft 592
$2.39 Ft 781
-24.27%
Banana (1kg)
$2.11 Ft 690
$2.20 Ft 720
-4.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 Ft 764
$2.63 Ft 860
-11.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.80 Ft 1,245
$3.13 Ft 1,025
21.41%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 325
$1.12 Ft 368
-11.61%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 Ft 322
$1.26 Ft 411
-22.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 Ft 508
$1.81 Ft 591
-14.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 Ft 228
$0.53 Ft 175
32.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.79 Ft 2,551
$10.69 Ft 3,500
-27.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 Ft 1,981
$4.64 Ft 1,520
30.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 Ft 418
$1.35 Ft 441
-5.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 Ft 667
$2.63 Ft 860
-22.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.55 Ft 507
$1.10 Ft 361
40.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.28 Ft 8,932
$30.12 Ft 9,860
-9.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,080
$3.40 Ft 1,115
-2.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 Ft 430
$1.31 Ft 430
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.26 Ft 6,631
$24.46 Ft 8,007
-17.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 596
$1.79 Ft 586
1.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K Ft 9.4M
$23.1K Ft 7.6M
24.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.1K Ft 10.8M
$21.6K Ft 7.1M
53.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 Ft 56.4K
$166 Ft 54.4K
3.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.95 Ft 7,841
$20.94 Ft 6,855
14.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.31 Ft 7,631
$21.13 Ft 6,917
10.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.6 Ft 22.5K
$48.01 Ft 15.7K
42.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.91 Ft 6,191
$17.98 Ft 5,887
5.17%
Cinema Ticket
$10.18 Ft 3,332
$9.06 Ft 2,966
12.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$600 Ft 196.5K
$184 Ft 60.1K
227.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.5M
$7,524 Ft 2.5M
123.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.0 Ft 32.4K
$78.7 Ft 25.8K
25.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.25 Ft 14.2K
$31.51 Ft 10.3K
37.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 36.9K
$75.6 Ft 24.7K
49.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 Ft 38.4K
$66.1 Ft 21.6K
77.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$836 Ft 273.7K
$637 Ft 208.7K
31.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$640 Ft 209.4K
$477 Ft 156.3K
34.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,598 Ft 523.2K
$1,033 Ft 338.1K
54.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,205 Ft 394.5K
$713 Ft 233.3K
69.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,625 Ft 1.8M
$3,001 Ft 982.5K
87.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,802 Ft 1.2M
$2,850 Ft 933.1K
33.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Sopron
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,671 Ft 547.2K
$1,373 Ft 449.4K
21.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5
29.00%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 27, 2026

Last update for Sopron: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$640
Sopron
$477 25.4% $162
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Sopron
$251 3% $7.7
Eating Out
Budapest
$221
Sopron
$171 22.6% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$219
Sopron
$208 5.1% $11
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Sopron
$113 32.4% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$89
Sopron
$66 25.7% $23
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Sopron
$45 2.7% $1.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Budapest versus $637 in Sopron. 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 22% 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 in Budapest versus $49 in Sopron. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $251 – making Sopron the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇭🇺 Sopron
🕒 Local time
10:20 10:20 AM
10:20 10:20 AM
Same time as Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
61,589
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 327 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.05 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Sopron 180 km
From you
  • Budapest
  • Sopron

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 Sopron: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sopron cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,457 per month in Budapest and $1,996 in Sopron. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sopron, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $637 there versus $836 in Budapest.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 9% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $600 per month in Budapest and $184 in Sopron. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Budapest or in Sopron?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,638 in Budapest and $1,331 in Sopron. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Budapest or Sopron more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sopron – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Sopron?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sopron. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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