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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Budapest vs $1,212 in Sopron, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,207 per month in Budapest vs $1,782 in Sopron, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,976 per month in Budapest vs $2,352 in Sopron, rent included.

Budapest costs about 19% more than Sopron, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Sopron is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 Ft 3,524

$8.82 Ft 2,650

32.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 Ft 17.5K

$42.48 Ft 12.8K

36.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 Ft 2,571

$8.61 Ft 2,587

-0.58%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 836

$2.10 Ft 631

32.38%

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

$1.78 Ft 536

$1.10 Ft 330

61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 387

$0.98 Ft 296

31.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 Ft 860

$1.56 Ft 467

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 881

$2.11 Ft 635

38.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 Ft 377

$1.06 Ft 318

18.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 Ft 508

$1.49 Ft 448

13.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 640

$1.62 Ft 487

31.48%

Eggs

$3.07 Ft 922

$2.45 Ft 738

25.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 Ft 2,948

$9.37 Ft 2,816

4.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 Ft 1,913

$5.31 Ft 1,597

19.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 Ft 3,927

$7.03 Ft 2,111

85.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 581

$1.41 Ft 425

36.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 598

$2.09 Ft 628

-4.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 654

$2.14 Ft 643

1.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,083

$1.96 Ft 588

84.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 340

$1.02 Ft 307

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 Ft 361

$1.00 Ft 300

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 443

$1.74 Ft 523

-14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 172

$0.58 Ft 173

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 Ft 2,083

$7.23 Ft 2,172

-4.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 Ft 1,759

$4.93 Ft 1,481

18.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 360

$1.16 Ft 348

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 Ft 516

$1.63 Ft 490

5.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 Ft 379

$1.15 Ft 345

9.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.55 Ft 7,677

$50.8 Ft 15.3K

-49.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 Ft 967

$3.25 Ft 977

-0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 Ft 353

$1.07 Ft 321

9.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.78 Ft 5,643

$23.17 Ft 6,963

-18.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 548

$1.70 Ft 510

7.06%

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

$25.4K Ft 7.6M

$27.4K Ft 8.2M

-7.32%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.4M

$32.1K Ft 9.6M

-2.19%

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

$144 Ft 43.3K

$163 Ft 48.9K

-11.58%

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

$25.99 Ft 7,810

$26.99 Ft 8,111

-3.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,028

$19.72 Ft 5,926

1.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 Ft 19.2K

$47.22 Ft 14.2K

35.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 Ft 6,561

$19.33 Ft 5,809

12.93%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,730

$7.77 Ft 2,334

16.99%

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

$463 Ft 139.2K

$174 Ft 52.2K

166.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K Ft 3.7M

$7,132 Ft 2.1M

74.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 Ft 25.4K

$61.1 Ft 18.4K

38.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 Ft 13.0K

$33.12 Ft 9,954

30.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 Ft 28.9K

$71.4 Ft 21.5K

34.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 31.6K

$72.7 Ft 21.9K

44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 Ft 216.9K

$604 Ft 181.4K

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 163.2K

$454 Ft 136.5K

19.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 Ft 396.8K

$958 Ft 287.9K

37.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 Ft 286.3K

$692 Ft 207.9K

37.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,215 Ft 1.9M

$3,209 Ft 964.4K

93.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,448 Ft 1.3M

$3,190 Ft 958.6K

39.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,795 Ft 539.5K

$1,511 Ft 453.9K

18.85%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sopron: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Budapest versus $604 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 19% 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 $42.00 in Sopron. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $193 – 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 19%, 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 $2,158 per month in Budapest and $1,818 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 99% less in Sopron. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $174 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 $1,212, than in Budapest at $1,439. 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.