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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,666 per month in Budapest vs $1,406 in Sopron, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,067 in Sopron, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,649 per month in Budapest vs $2,728 in Sopron, rent included.

Budapest costs about 18% more than Sopron, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Budapest and Sopron sit above the global median – Budapest by 22%, Sopron by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.41 Ft 4,583

$12.74 Ft 4,053

13.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$51.0 Ft 16.2K

24.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 Ft 3,567

$9.39 Ft 2,987

19.38%

Cappuccino

$3.56 Ft 1,131

$2.57 Ft 818

38.52%

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

$2.16 Ft 687

$1.34 Ft 426

61.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Ft 639

$1.33 Ft 424

51.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 Ft 1,223

$1.83 Ft 583

110.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 Ft 1,220

$2.38 Ft 758

61.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Ft 397

$1.30 Ft 412

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Ft 595

$1.64 Ft 521

14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 Ft 811

$2.35 Ft 747

8.51%

Eggs

$4.10 Ft 1,305

$3.31 Ft 1,054

23.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 Ft 3,796

$10.74 Ft 3,418

11.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 Ft 2,188

$7.08 Ft 2,254

-2.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 Ft 4,868

$16.16 Ft 5,140

-5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$2.47 Ft 785

-19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 Ft 696

$2.28 Ft 727

-3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 802

$2.72 Ft 864

-7.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 Ft 1,317

$3.22 Ft 1,023

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 318

$1.16 Ft 370

-13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 327

$1.38 Ft 438

-25.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 Ft 532

$1.84 Ft 586

-9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 222

$0.60 Ft 191

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 Ft 2,602

$8.71 Ft 2,771

-6.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 Ft 2,006

$4.88 Ft 1,551

29.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 417

$1.42 Ft 451

-7.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 Ft 670

$2.39 Ft 761

-11.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 Ft 498

$1.15 Ft 365

36.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 Ft 8,951

$31.39 Ft 9,984

-10.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 Ft 1,113

$3.55 Ft 1,130

-1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 Ft 431

$1.32 Ft 420

2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.69 Ft 6,581

$25.64 Ft 8,156

-19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 617

$1.83 Ft 582

6.01%

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

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

$23.9K Ft 7.6M

31.83%

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

$34.6K Ft 11.0M

$22.8K Ft 7.3M

51.85%

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

$174 Ft 55.4K

$175 Ft 55.6K

-0.40%

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

$25.89 Ft 8,235

$21.41 Ft 6,813

20.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 Ft 7,781

$21.92 Ft 6,974

11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 Ft 22.3K

$49.99 Ft 15.9K

40.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.50 Ft 6,204

$18.76 Ft 5,970

3.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.59 Ft 3,051

$9.05 Ft 2,880

5.97%

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

$555 Ft 176.5K

$192 Ft 60.9K

189.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K Ft 5.6M

$7,782 Ft 2.5M

124.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 Ft 33.4K

$82.2 Ft 26.1K

27.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 Ft 13.9K

$32.51 Ft 10.3K

34.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Ft 37.3K

$80.4 Ft 25.6K

46.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 38.6K

$69.0 Ft 21.9K

75.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Ft 273.6K

$652 Ft 207.4K

31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 Ft 208.4K

$480 Ft 152.8K

36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 Ft 537.7K

$1,054 Ft 335.2K

60.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 Ft 401.5K

$743 Ft 236.4K

69.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 Ft 1.9M

$3,060 Ft 973.4K

91.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

$3,021 Ft 961.2K

32.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 Ft 551.8K

$1,430 Ft 455.0K

21.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

31.20%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sopron: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Budapest versus $652 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 21% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $51.0 in Sopron. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $264 – 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,499 per month in Budapest and $2,109 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 12% less in Sopron. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Budapest and $192 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 $1,406, than in Budapest at $1,666. 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.