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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,730 per month in Budapest vs $1,150 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,693 per month in Budapest vs $1,870 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,589 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Budapest costs about 50% more than Szekesfehervar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Szekesfehervar is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 Ft 4,486

$9.97 Ft 3,122

43.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

$61.5 Ft 19.3K

2.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.22 Ft 3,515

$9.08 Ft 2,843

23.57%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Ft 1,070

$2.22 Ft 696

54.05%

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

$2.17 Ft 680

$1.52 Ft 475

42.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 Ft 626

$1.07 Ft 335

86.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 Ft 1,222

$2.11 Ft 661

84.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$2.37 Ft 741

60.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 383

$1.20 Ft 375

1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 Ft 624

$1.50 Ft 471

32.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 Ft 794

$2.75 Ft 862

-7.64%

Eggs

$4.22 Ft 1,320

$3.69 Ft 1,155

14.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.13 Ft 3,800

$10.25 Ft 3,212

18.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 Ft 2,211

$6.49 Ft 2,032

8.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 Ft 4,799

$16.38 Ft 5,132

-6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 636

$2.25 Ft 704

-9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.29 Ft 717

-3.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 Ft 765

$2.05 Ft 641

19.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 Ft 1,268

$3.36 Ft 1,054

20.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.09 Ft 342

-5.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 330

$1.19 Ft 373

-11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 Ft 533

$1.57 Ft 493

8.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 Ft 205

$0.55 Ft 171

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.36 Ft 2,619

$6.73 Ft 2,109

24.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 Ft 1,994

$3.28 Ft 1,029

93.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 421

$1.28 Ft 401

5.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 Ft 695

$2.16 Ft 678

2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.64 Ft 514

$1.25 Ft 393

31.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 Ft 9,201

$28.12 Ft 8,809

4.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,078

$3.17 Ft 993

8.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 448

$1.81 Ft 566

-20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.27 Ft 6,664

$18.93 Ft 5,930

12.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 605

$1.86 Ft 582

3.76%

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

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

$28.4K Ft 8.9M

12.55%

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

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

$32.4K Ft 10.2M

8.83%

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

$174 Ft 54.6K

$133 Ft 41.5K

31.64%

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

$25.65 Ft 8,036

$28.31 Ft 8,869

-9.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.58 Ft 7,700

$20.73 Ft 6,494

18.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

$48.17 Ft 15.1K

47.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.93 Ft 6,243

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,188

$8.78 Ft 2,750

15.95%

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

$563 Ft 176.4K

$263 Ft 82.5K

113.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

$7,081 Ft 2.2M

144.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 Ft 34.3K

$70.7 Ft 22.2K

54.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

$26.11 Ft 8,179

74.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Ft 37.2K

$80.9 Ft 25.3K

47.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 Ft 39.1K

$88.5 Ft 27.7K

41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 Ft 265.1K

$410 Ft 128.4K

106.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Ft 206.2K

$323 Ft 101.1K

104.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

$659 Ft 206.5K

153.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

$680 Ft 213.0K

90.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

$3,511 Ft 1.1M

68.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

$3,207 Ft 1.0M

27.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

$1,573 Ft 492.8K

10.20%

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 Szekesfehervar: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $846 in Budapest versus $410 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 10% 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 $61.0 in Szekesfehervar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $251 – 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 50%, 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 $1,725 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 4% less in Szekesfehervar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Budapest and $263 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 $1,150, than in Budapest at $1,730. 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.