Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szeged Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szeged

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Budapest vs $1,294 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Budapest vs $2,023 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,753 in Szeged, rent included.

Budapest costs about 34% more than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Szeged is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$10.20 Ft 3,196

40.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$61.7 Ft 19.3K

2.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$9.32 Ft 2,919

20.39%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$2.44 Ft 765

40.16%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$1.58 Ft 496

37.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$1.32 Ft 413

51.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$2.25 Ft 705

73.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$2.35 Ft 735

62.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.22 Ft 382

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.49 Ft 466

33.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$2.74 Ft 857

-7.30%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$3.81 Ft 1,193

10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$10.45 Ft 3,272

16.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$6.93 Ft 2,171

1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$16.39 Ft 5,135

-6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$2.41 Ft 756

-15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.37 Ft 742

-6.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$2.14 Ft 671

14.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$3.54 Ft 1,108

14.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.09 Ft 343

-5.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$1.19 Ft 372

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$1.63 Ft 510

4.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.57 Ft 177

14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$8.16 Ft 2,556

2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$5.04 Ft 1,578

26.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$1.31 Ft 412

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.07 Ft 649

7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

$1.81 Ft 566

-9.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

$31.30 Ft 9,806

-6.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$3.08 Ft 964

11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$1.72 Ft 538

-16.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$18.92 Ft 5,925

12.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.94 Ft 609

-0.52%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$28.3K Ft 8.9M

13.08%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$39.4K Ft 12.3M

-10.31%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$136 Ft 42.7K

27.94%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$23.24 Ft 7,280

10.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$20.60 Ft 6,453

19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$49.12 Ft 15.4K

44.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

$31.29 Ft 9,803

-36.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$8.55 Ft 2,679

19.06%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$259 Ft 81.3K

117.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$7,070 Ft 2.2M

144.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$108 Ft 33.8K

1.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$35.02 Ft 11.0K

29.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

26.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$131 Ft 41.0K

-4.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$534 Ft 167.1K

58.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$387 Ft 121.3K

70.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$791 Ft 247.9K

111.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$635 Ft 198.9K

103.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

81.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$2,403 Ft 752.7K

70.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

$1,348 Ft 422.3K

28.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

6.67

-1.65%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Szeged: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Budapest versus $534 in Szeged. 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 29% 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 $62.0 in Szeged. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $261 – making Szeged 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 Szeged: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,594 per month in Budapest and $1,940 in Szeged. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Budapest and $259 in Szeged. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Budapest at $1,730. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szeged – 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 Szeged. 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.