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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Budapest vs $1,078 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Budapest vs $1,643 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Budapest vs $2,208 in Szeged, rent included.

Budapest costs about 33% more than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szeged is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.54 Ft 3,651

$7.76 Ft 2,456

48.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

$45.37 Ft 14.4K

27.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 Ft 2,812

$5.71 Ft 1,806

55.69%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Ft 863

$1.96 Ft 620

39.29%

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

$1.71 Ft 541

$1.37 Ft 433

24.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 405

$0.99 Ft 314

29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Ft 927

$2.37 Ft 748

23.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Ft 906

$2.16 Ft 683

32.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 382

$1.11 Ft 350

9.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 Ft 557

$1.46 Ft 460

20.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 657

$1.84 Ft 583

13.04%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 969

$2.82 Ft 893

8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 Ft 3,225

$7.83 Ft 2,477

30.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 Ft 1,917

$5.89 Ft 1,863

2.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 Ft 4,233

$11.22 Ft 3,550

19.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 608

$1.86 Ft 587

3.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 600

$1.77 Ft 559

7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 691

$2.04 Ft 646

6.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 Ft 1,098

$2.94 Ft 930

18.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 354

$1.05 Ft 333

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 395

$1.20 Ft 380

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 495

$1.44 Ft 456

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 183

$0.44 Ft 140

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 Ft 2,155

$7.24 Ft 2,292

-5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 Ft 1,981

$4.95 Ft 1,565

26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Ft 381

$1.00 Ft 316

21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 Ft 529

$1.19 Ft 375

40.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 Ft 420

$1.56 Ft 493

-14.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Ft 8,205

$28.00 Ft 8,860

-7.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 976

$2.85 Ft 900

8.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.33 Ft 419

-16.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 Ft 5,906

$17.08 Ft 5,405

9.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 Ft 586

$1.76 Ft 557

5.11%

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

$25.4K Ft 8.1M

$26.4K Ft 8.3M

-3.49%

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

$31.5K Ft 10.0M

$25.5K Ft 8.1M

23.49%

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

$148 Ft 46.8K

$106 Ft 33.6K

39.37%

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

$25.98 Ft 8,220

$24.84 Ft 7,860

4.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 Ft 6,398

$18.55 Ft 5,870

9.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 Ft 19.9K

$39.81 Ft 12.6K

58.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 7,034

$20.18 Ft 6,385

10.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,815

$7.95 Ft 2,517

11.95%

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

$464 Ft 146.8K

$217 Ft 68.8K

113.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

$6,385 Ft 2.0M

94.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 Ft 26.9K

$89.0 Ft 28.2K

-4.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.7K

$25.65 Ft 8,116

68.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 Ft 30.2K

$87.6 Ft 27.7K

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$107 Ft 33.7K

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 233.5K

$436 Ft 137.8K

69.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 Ft 176.7K

$341 Ft 107.8K

63.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 Ft 423.0K

$662 Ft 209.4K

102.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 Ft 305.4K

$550 Ft 173.9K

75.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

$3,269 Ft 1.0M

81.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

$2,387 Ft 755.4K

78.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 Ft 547.9K

$1,336 Ft 422.7K

29.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

5.85

20.17%

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

Last update for Budapest: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szeged: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $436 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 30% 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 $45.00 in Szeged. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $207 – 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 33%, 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 $2,152 per month in Budapest and $1,617 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 8% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Budapest and $217 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 $1,078, than in Budapest at $1,435. 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.