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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Budapest vs $1,041 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,210 per month in Budapest vs $1,677 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,969 per month in Budapest vs $2,313 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

$11.64 Ft 3,521

$11.28 Ft 3,411

3.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 Ft 17.7K

$57.2 Ft 17.3K

2.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,604

$8.84 Ft 2,674

-2.60%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Ft 857

$1.98 Ft 598

42.93%

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

$1.81 Ft 547

$1.27 Ft 385

42.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 Ft 410

$0.96 Ft 291

40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 Ft 897

$1.89 Ft 571

56.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Ft 884

$2.41 Ft 730

21.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 385

$1.06 Ft 320

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 Ft 504

$1.72 Ft 520

-3.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 618

$2.17 Ft 658

-5.99%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 955

$2.68 Ft 812

17.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.88 Ft 2,988

$8.02 Ft 2,426

23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,868

$5.92 Ft 1,792

4.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 Ft 4,072

$14.44 Ft 4,370

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 562

$1.90 Ft 576

-2.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 578

$1.84 Ft 556

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 628

$1.90 Ft 575

9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,092

$2.75 Ft 833

31.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 Ft 344

$1.02 Ft 309

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 368

$1.19 Ft 359

2.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 467

$1.38 Ft 416

11.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.45 Ft 135

17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 Ft 2,081

$6.27 Ft 1,896

9.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 Ft 1,808

$3.27 Ft 988

82.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 362

$0.94 Ft 284

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 501

$1.41 Ft 426

17.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 Ft 398

$1.14 Ft 344

14.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.92 Ft 7,843

$24.75 Ft 7,487

4.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 Ft 978

$2.81 Ft 849

14.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 341

$1.18 Ft 358

-4.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.91 Ft 5,722

$16.99 Ft 5,139

11.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 528

$1.64 Ft 497

6.71%

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

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

$25.4K Ft 7.7M

0.27%

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

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

$25.6K Ft 7.7M

23.63%

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

$145 Ft 44.0K

$103 Ft 31.2K

41.02%

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

$26.44 Ft 8,001

$24.96 Ft 7,552

5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.87 Ft 6,012

$18.52 Ft 5,602

7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 Ft 19.3K

$47.39 Ft 14.3K

34.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 6,724

$16.99 Ft 5,141

30.84%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,750

$6.64 Ft 2,009

36.90%

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

$460 Ft 139.3K

$217 Ft 65.7K

112.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.7M

$6,438 Ft 1.9M

90.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.3 Ft 26.4K

$64.0 Ft 19.4K

36.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 Ft 12.7K

$23.46 Ft 7,098

79.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 Ft 29.6K

$71.0 Ft 21.5K

37.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 31.4K

$78.3 Ft 23.7K

32.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 Ft 224.8K

$378 Ft 114.4K

96.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 164.3K

$290 Ft 87.6K

87.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 Ft 409.4K

$583 Ft 176.5K

131.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 Ft 295.5K

$524 Ft 158.4K

86.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

$3,633 Ft 1.1M

68.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,404 Ft 1.3M

$3,266 Ft 988.2K

34.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 Ft 544.5K

$1,536 Ft 464.7K

17.18%

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 Szekesfehervar: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $743 in Budapest versus $378 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 17% 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 $57.0 in Szekesfehervar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 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 $2,177 per month in Budapest and $1,562 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 5% less in Szekesfehervar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $460 per month in Budapest and $217 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 $1,041, than in Budapest at $1,451. 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.