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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Budapest vs $1,055 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,657 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,977 per month in Budapest vs $2,258 in Szeged, rent included.

Budapest costs about 36% more than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Szeged is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 Ft 3,516

$7.82 Ft 2,432

44.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 Ft 17.8K

$45.23 Ft 14.1K

26.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 Ft 2,729

$5.65 Ft 1,759

55.22%

Cappuccino

$2.76 Ft 859

$1.96 Ft 609

40.82%

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

$1.79 Ft 556

$1.36 Ft 423

31.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 416

$0.98 Ft 305

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 Ft 886

$2.33 Ft 724

22.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 Ft 877

$2.16 Ft 672

30.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 379

$1.11 Ft 344

9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.53 Ft 477

13.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 Ft 650

$1.85 Ft 575

12.97%

Eggs

$3.00 Ft 935

$2.95 Ft 919

1.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 Ft 3,062

$7.82 Ft 2,435

25.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 Ft 1,950

$5.62 Ft 1,749

11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 Ft 4,063

$10.94 Ft 3,403

19.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 601

$1.92 Ft 598

0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 619

$1.85 Ft 575

7.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 675

$2.04 Ft 634

6.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 Ft 1,143

$2.81 Ft 875

30.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 363

$1.05 Ft 328

11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 389

$1.19 Ft 371

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 481

$1.45 Ft 450

6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 181

$0.48 Ft 149

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,042

$7.14 Ft 2,221

-8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 Ft 1,732

$5.18 Ft 1,612

7.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 357

$1.00 Ft 312

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.20 Ft 372

44.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 395

$1.56 Ft 486

-18.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.08 Ft 8,114

$27.50 Ft 8,555

-5.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 1,006

$2.78 Ft 864

16.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 351

$1.27 Ft 396

-11.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.09 Ft 5,939

$17.38 Ft 5,408

9.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 553

$1.75 Ft 544

1.71%

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

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

-0.97%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.5M

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

20.08%

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

$148 Ft 45.9K

$106 Ft 33.0K

39.27%

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

$26.28 Ft 8,177

$24.82 Ft 7,723

5.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.16 Ft 6,271

$19.19 Ft 5,970

5.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.9 Ft 19.6K

$40.56 Ft 12.6K

55.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.45 Ft 6,986

$20.08 Ft 6,249

11.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,846

$7.84 Ft 2,440

16.71%

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

$463 Ft 144.2K

$223 Ft 69.5K

107.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K Ft 3.8M

$6,248 Ft 1.9M

97.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.0 Ft 26.1K

$88.1 Ft 27.4K

-4.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 Ft 13.0K

$25.98 Ft 8,084

61.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 Ft 30.0K

$85.8 Ft 26.7K

12.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 33.3K

$106 Ft 33.1K

0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 229.5K

$432 Ft 134.5K

70.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 Ft 174.8K

$339 Ft 105.4K

65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 Ft 414.4K

$655 Ft 203.9K

103.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 306.0K

$536 Ft 166.9K

83.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,023 Ft 1.9M

$3,360 Ft 1.0M

79.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,331 Ft 1.3M

$2,468 Ft 767.9K

75.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,747 Ft 543.6K

$1,295 Ft 402.8K

34.95%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Szeged: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $432 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 35% 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 $57 in Budapest versus $45 in Szeged. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $208 – 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 36%, 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 $2,158 per month in Budapest and $1,583 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 5% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $223 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 $1,055, than in Budapest at $1,439. 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.