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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $1,002 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,627 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $2,251 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Budapest costs about 43% more than Szekesfehervar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Szekesfehervar is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,584

$11.27 Ft 3,518

1.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.2K

$58.3 Ft 18.2K

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,688

$9.22 Ft 2,877

-6.62%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 866

$1.99 Ft 620

39.70%

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

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.33 Ft 414

30.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 417

$0.95 Ft 297

41.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 879

$1.83 Ft 571

54.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 891

$2.43 Ft 759

17.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 383

$1.11 Ft 346

10.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 521

$1.65 Ft 515

1.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 636

$2.21 Ft 689

-7.69%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 955

$2.72 Ft 848

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,191

$7.80 Ft 2,434

31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,980

$5.83 Ft 1,820

8.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,179

$14.54 Ft 4,537

-7.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 595

$1.86 Ft 579

2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 599

$1.79 Ft 558

7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 680

$1.94 Ft 606

12.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,130

$2.79 Ft 870

29.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 351

$1.06 Ft 332

5.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 377

$1.15 Ft 360

5.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 462

$1.43 Ft 447

3.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.44 Ft 136

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,046

$6.30 Ft 1,967

4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,791

$3.19 Ft 997

79.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 357

$0.93 Ft 291

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 517

$1.41 Ft 439

17.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 397

$1.18 Ft 367

7.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,201

$25.23 Ft 7,871

4.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 977

$2.78 Ft 867

12.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 346

$1.18 Ft 368

-5.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,910

$17.61 Ft 5,494

7.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 556

$1.68 Ft 524

5.95%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$25.9K Ft 8.1M

-0.81%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$25.4K Ft 7.9M

19.62%

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

$148 Ft 46.2K

$106 Ft 33.1K

39.69%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,317

$25.31 Ft 7,897

5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,229

$18.43 Ft 5,750

8.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$46.09 Ft 14.4K

38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,840

$16.61 Ft 5,182

31.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,726

$6.71 Ft 2,094

30.25%

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

$463 Ft 144.6K

$218 Ft 67.9K

112.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$6,263 Ft 2.0M

94.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.8K

$65.6 Ft 20.5K

30.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.5K

$22.67 Ft 7,075

90.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.9K

$72.9 Ft 22.7K

31.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.4K

$78.6 Ft 24.5K

32.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 229.5K

$369 Ft 115.0K

99.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.6K

$292 Ft 91.2K

91.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 422.7K

$596 Ft 186.1K

127.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 303.4K

$528 Ft 164.6K

84.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.9M

$3,546 Ft 1.1M

67.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

28.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 541.8K

$1,559 Ft 486.6K

11.36%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $369 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 11% 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 $58.0 in Szekesfehervar. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $216 in Szekesfehervar – so Szekesfehervar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 43%, 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 $2,157 per month in Budapest and $1,504 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 $463 per month in Budapest and $218 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 $1,002, than in Budapest at $1,438. 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.