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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Budapest vs $1,053 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,210 per month in Budapest vs $1,625 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,969 per month in Budapest vs $2,196 in Szeged, rent included.

Budapest costs about 38% more than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szeged is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 Ft 3,592

$7.73 Ft 2,386

50.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 Ft 18.1K

$45.19 Ft 13.9K

29.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,657

$5.61 Ft 1,733

53.48%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Ft 875

$1.97 Ft 607

43.65%

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

$1.81 Ft 558

$1.36 Ft 421

33.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 418

$0.93 Ft 286

45.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 Ft 915

$2.36 Ft 729

25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Ft 901

$2.18 Ft 672

33.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 392

$1.07 Ft 332

18.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 Ft 514

$1.54 Ft 475

7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 631

$1.77 Ft 547

15.25%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 974

$2.91 Ft 899

8.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 Ft 3,049

$8.07 Ft 2,492

22.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,905

$5.95 Ft 1,837

3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 Ft 4,155

$11.31 Ft 3,493

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 574

$1.85 Ft 571

0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 590

$1.86 Ft 575

2.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 641

$2.03 Ft 625

2.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,114

$2.90 Ft 895

24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 351

$1.02 Ft 315

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 375

$1.19 Ft 368

2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 476

$1.39 Ft 430

10.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 165

$0.47 Ft 145

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 Ft 2,124

$7.52 Ft 2,320

-8.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 Ft 1,845

$5.31 Ft 1,638

12.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 370

$0.93 Ft 287

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 511

$1.24 Ft 383

33.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 Ft 406

$1.61 Ft 498

-18.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.92 Ft 8,002

$28.00 Ft 8,642

-7.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 997

$2.90 Ft 896

11.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 348

$1.28 Ft 395

-11.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.91 Ft 5,838

$17.38 Ft 5,365

8.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 539

$1.75 Ft 540

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

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

-0.29%

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

$31.6K Ft 9.8M

$25.6K Ft 7.9M

23.77%

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

$145 Ft 44.9K

$104 Ft 32.2K

39.27%

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

$26.44 Ft 8,163

$25.12 Ft 7,754

5.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.87 Ft 6,134

$18.72 Ft 5,778

6.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 Ft 19.6K

$40.21 Ft 12.4K

58.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 6,860

$19.90 Ft 6,143

11.71%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,805

$7.78 Ft 2,401

16.84%

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

$460 Ft 142.1K

$221 Ft 68.2K

108.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$6,372 Ft 2.0M

92.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 Ft 26.9K

$90.3 Ft 27.9K

-3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 Ft 13.0K

$26.11 Ft 8,060

61.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 Ft 30.2K

$85.8 Ft 26.5K

13.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.0K

$105 Ft 32.4K

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 Ft 229.3K

$441 Ft 136.0K

68.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 167.6K

$344 Ft 106.1K

58.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 Ft 417.7K

$677 Ft 209.0K

99.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 Ft 301.5K

$537 Ft 165.7K

81.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

$3,386 Ft 1.0M

81.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,404 Ft 1.4M

$2,456 Ft 758.0K

79.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 Ft 555.5K

$1,328 Ft 409.8K

35.55%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Szeged: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $743 in Budapest versus $441 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 36% 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 $59.0 in Budapest versus $45.00 in Szeged. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $210 – 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 38%, 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 $2,177 per month in Budapest and $1,580 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 $460 per month in Budapest and $221 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 $1,053, than in Budapest at $1,451. 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.