Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sopron Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sopron

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $1,243 in Sopron, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,803 in Sopron, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $2,364 in Sopron, rent included.

Budapest costs about 16% more than Sopron, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Sopron is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,584

$8.81 Ft 2,750

30.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.2K

$43.54 Ft 13.6K

33.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,688

$8.39 Ft 2,619

2.62%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 866

$2.19 Ft 683

26.94%

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

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.09 Ft 341

58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 417

$0.91 Ft 283

47.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 879

$1.61 Ft 502

75.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 891

$2.18 Ft 680

31.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 383

$1.11 Ft 346

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 521

$1.54 Ft 481

8.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 636

$1.68 Ft 524

21.43%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 955

$2.52 Ft 785

21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,191

$9.10 Ft 2,838

12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,980

$5.34 Ft 1,667

18.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,179

$7.23 Ft 2,257

85.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 595

$1.42 Ft 442

34.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 599

$2.01 Ft 627

-4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 680

$2.18 Ft 681

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,130

$2.04 Ft 635

77.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 351

$1.03 Ft 321

8.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 377

$0.98 Ft 306

23.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 462

$1.80 Ft 562

-17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.55 Ft 171

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,046

$7.05 Ft 2,200

-6.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,791

$4.91 Ft 1,532

16.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 357

$1.21 Ft 379

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 517

$1.59 Ft 498

4.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 397

$1.14 Ft 357

11.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,201

$51.4 Ft 16.0K

-48.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 977

$3.08 Ft 962

1.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 346

$1.06 Ft 332

4.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,910

$23.33 Ft 7,279

-18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 556

$1.70 Ft 532

4.71%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$26.9K Ft 8.4M

-4.56%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$31.7K Ft 9.9M

-3.96%

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

$148 Ft 46.2K

$162 Ft 50.5K

-8.60%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,317

$27.33 Ft 8,526

-2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,229

$20.01 Ft 6,244

-0.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$47.60 Ft 14.9K

34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,840

$19.40 Ft 6,052

12.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,726

$7.70 Ft 2,403

13.51%

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

$463 Ft 144.6K

$175 Ft 54.6K

164.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$7,193 Ft 2.2M

69.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.8K

$60.4 Ft 18.8K

42.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.5K

$32.82 Ft 10.2K

31.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.9K

$72.0 Ft 22.5K

32.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.4K

$71.0 Ft 22.1K

46.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 229.5K

$586 Ft 182.9K

25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.6K

$442 Ft 137.8K

26.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 422.7K

$983 Ft 306.6K

37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 303.4K

$672 Ft 209.5K

44.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.9M

$3,154 Ft 984.0K

88.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$3,073 Ft 958.8K

36.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 541.8K

$1,488 Ft 464.3K

16.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

-12.12%

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

Last update for Budapest: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sopron: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $586 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 17% 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 $58.0 in Budapest versus $44.00 in Sopron. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $195 – making Sopron the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,157 per month in Budapest and $1,865 in Sopron. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 96% less in Sopron. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $175 in Sopron. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sopron, where all-in costs run around $1,243, than in Budapest at $1,438. In Sopron it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Sopron. 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.