Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szekesfehervar Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szekesfehervar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Budapest vs $1,030 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Budapest vs $1,675 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Budapest vs $2,320 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Budapest costs about 39% more than Szekesfehervar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szekesfehervar is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.54 Ft 3,651

$11.39 Ft 3,603

1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

$56.9 Ft 18.0K

1.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 Ft 2,812

$8.98 Ft 2,841

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Ft 863

$1.95 Ft 617

40.00%

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

$1.71 Ft 541

$1.32 Ft 419

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 405

$0.88 Ft 278

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Ft 927

$1.92 Ft 609

52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Ft 906

$2.47 Ft 781

16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 382

$1.10 Ft 350

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 Ft 557

$1.65 Ft 523

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 657

$2.13 Ft 675

-2.35%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 969

$2.72 Ft 860

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 Ft 3,225

$7.90 Ft 2,498

28.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 Ft 1,917

$5.90 Ft 1,865

2.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 Ft 4,233

$14.47 Ft 4,578

-7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 608

$1.88 Ft 596

2.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 600

$1.87 Ft 591

1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 691

$1.89 Ft 598

15.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 Ft 1,098

$2.73 Ft 865

27.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 354

$1.06 Ft 336

5.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 395

$1.19 Ft 377

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 495

$1.45 Ft 459

7.59%

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

$6.04 Ft 1,912

12.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 Ft 1,981

$3.07 Ft 970

103.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Ft 381

$1.01 Ft 320

19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 Ft 529

$1.41 Ft 446

18.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 Ft 420

$1.18 Ft 373

12.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Ft 8,205

$25.32 Ft 8,011

2.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 976

$2.76 Ft 874

11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.15 Ft 363

-3.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 Ft 5,906

$16.93 Ft 5,357

10.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 Ft 586

$1.73 Ft 548

6.94%

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

$25.4K Ft 8.1M

$26.2K Ft 8.3M

-2.80%

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

$31.5K Ft 10.0M

$25.4K Ft 8.0M

24.05%

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

$148 Ft 46.8K

$102 Ft 32.3K

44.56%

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

$25.98 Ft 8,220

$25.43 Ft 8,045

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 Ft 6,398

$18.52 Ft 5,859

9.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 Ft 19.9K

$47.61 Ft 15.1K

32.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 7,034

$16.70 Ft 5,282

33.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,815

$6.80 Ft 2,151

30.88%

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

$464 Ft 146.8K

$221 Ft 70.1K

109.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

$6,250 Ft 2.0M

98.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 Ft 26.9K

$64.9 Ft 20.5K

31.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.7K

$22.86 Ft 7,231

89.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 Ft 30.2K

$70.7 Ft 22.4K

35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$80.6 Ft 25.5K

29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 233.5K

$368 Ft 116.4K

100.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 Ft 176.7K

$293 Ft 92.7K

90.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 Ft 423.0K

$596 Ft 188.4K

124.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 Ft 305.4K

$518 Ft 163.8K

86.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

$3,487 Ft 1.1M

70.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

$3,158 Ft 999.3K

35.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 Ft 547.9K

$1,533 Ft 485.1K

12.95%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $368 in Szekesfehervar. 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 13% 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 $57.0 in Szekesfehervar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $216 – making Szekesfehervar 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 Szekesfehervar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,546 in Szekesfehervar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Szekesfehervar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Budapest and $221 in Szekesfehervar. 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 Szekesfehervar, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Budapest at $1,435. In Szekesfehervar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szekesfehervar – 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 Szekesfehervar. 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.