Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sydney, NS

For one person, living costs are similar in Budapest and in Sydney, NS: $1,619 and $1,595 a month, rent and utilities included.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sydney, NS
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Sydney, NS Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Sydney, NS

🇨🇦 Canada

$1,595

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sydney, NS

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,595 in Sydney, NS, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Sydney, NS $1,595

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,519 in Sydney, NS, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Sydney, NS $2,519

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $3,443 in Sydney, NS, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Sydney, NS $3,443

Budapest costs about 2% more than Sydney, NS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Budapest and Sydney, NS sit above the global median – Budapest by 20%, Sydney, NS by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$11.02 CA$15.57

26.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$63.5 CA$89.7

-3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$7.36 CA$10.40

38.45%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.84 CA$4.02

14.79%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$2.29 CA$3.23

-6.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$2.06 CA$2.91

-13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.24 CA$3.16

-48.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$2.48 CA$3.51

-27.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$2.41 CA$3.41

3.32%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$3.19 CA$4.50

22.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$6.29 CA$8.89

76.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$8.04 CA$11.36

-17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$13.06 CA$18.47

12.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$7.04 CA$9.96

-74.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.19 CA$1.68

72.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.43 CA$2.02

172.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.78 CA$1.10

26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.95 CA$2.76

-48.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$6.41 CA$9.06

-75.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$17.79 CA$25.15

-55.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$4.21 CA$5.96

-51.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.08 CA$1.53

40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$47.58 CA$67.3

-41.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$4.10 CA$5.80

-19.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.17 CA$1.66

55.56%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$25.6K CA$36.2K

16.36%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$19.0K CA$26.9K

77.69%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$88.1 CA$124

94.32%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$34.80 CA$49.20

-32.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$73.5 CA$104

-68.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$47.87 CA$67.7

41.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$3.40 CA$4.80

455.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$6.93 CA$9.80

34.20%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$698 CA$987

-23.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$67.6 CA$95.6

47.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$66.2 CA$93.6

-34.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$99.2 CA$140

11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$105 CA$149

13.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$900 CA$1,273

-7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$709 CA$1,002

-12.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$1,770 CA$2,503

-9.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$1,367 CA$1,932

-14.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,501 CA$3,536

-33.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.8

11.21%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sydney, NS: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Sydney, NS

$709 44.5% 14% $87

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Sydney, NS

$258 * 16.2% 0.1% $0.3

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Sydney, NS

$162 * 10.1% 27.5% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Sydney, NS

$196 12.3% 9.9% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Sydney, NS

$152 9.5% 9.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Sydney, NS

$62 3.9% 28.3% $24

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Sydney, NS

$56 * 3.5% 26.6% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $900 in Sydney, NS. 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 51% higher in Sydney, NS, 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 $63.0 in Sydney, NS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇨🇦 Sydney, NS

🕒 Local time

20:44 8:44 PM

15:44 3:44 PM

5 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

30,960

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Sydney, NS 5,750 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Sydney, NS

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 Sydney, NS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 2%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $2,392 in Sydney, NS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 70% less in Sydney, NS. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $698 in Sydney, NS. 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 Sydney, NS, where all-in costs run around $1,595, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Sydney, NS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sydney, NS – 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 Sydney, NS. 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.