Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szekesfehervar

For one person, living is cheaper in Szekesfehervar: $1,089 a month against $1,638 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Szekesfehervar
Learn more

Szekesfehervar Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,638

/mo nomad

Szekesfehervar

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,089

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Szekesfehervar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Budapest and in Szekesfehervar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,638 per month in Budapest vs $1,089 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Budapest $1,638
Szekesfehervar $1,089

A couple spends around $2,553 per month in Budapest vs $1,787 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Budapest $2,553
Szekesfehervar $1,787

A family of three spends $3,467 per month in Budapest vs $2,485 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Budapest $3,467
Szekesfehervar $2,485

Budapest costs about 50% more than Szekesfehervar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Szekesfehervar is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.81 Ft 4,552

$9.27 Ft 3,055

48.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.5 Ft 20.3K

$58.6 Ft 19.3K

4.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 Ft 3,349

$8.64 Ft 2,848

17.59%

Cappuccino

$3.22 Ft 1,062

$2.11 Ft 695

52.61%

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

$2.06 Ft 680

$1.39 Ft 457

48.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 Ft 605

$1.02 Ft 335

79.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 Ft 1,188

$2.00 Ft 660

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 Ft 1,208

$2.30 Ft 758

59.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Ft 392

$1.12 Ft 370

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Ft 617

$1.34 Ft 443

39.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 780

$2.49 Ft 822

-4.82%

Eggs

$3.96 Ft 1,305

$3.55 Ft 1,169

11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 Ft 3,680

$10.58 Ft 3,488

5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 Ft 2,228

$6.10 Ft 2,012

10.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 Ft 4,731

$16.10 Ft 5,310

-10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 Ft 596

$2.11 Ft 696

-14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 695

$2.21 Ft 729

-4.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Ft 770

$1.97 Ft 651

18.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.80 Ft 1,254

$3.09 Ft 1,020

22.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 327

$1.02 Ft 336

-2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 Ft 324

$1.10 Ft 362

-10.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 512

$1.64 Ft 539

-5.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 230

$0.51 Ft 169

37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 Ft 2,569

$6.73 Ft 2,220

15.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 Ft 1,995

$3.05 Ft 1,007

98.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 421

$1.27 Ft 417

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 Ft 672

$2.05 Ft 677

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 Ft 511

$1.19 Ft 393

30.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.28 Ft 8,995

$26.36 Ft 8,689

3.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,087

$2.94 Ft 968

12.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 Ft 433

$1.62 Ft 535

-19.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.26 Ft 6,679

$18.45 Ft 6,082

9.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 600

$1.85 Ft 610

-1.62%

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

$28.7K Ft 9.5M

$27.1K Ft 8.9M

5.81%

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

$33.1K Ft 10.9M

$29.9K Ft 9.9M

10.69%

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

$172 Ft 56.8K

$127 Ft 41.9K

35.55%

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

$23.95 Ft 7,897

$27.40 Ft 9,033

-12.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.31 Ft 7,685

$19.40 Ft 6,396

20.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 Ft 22.6K

$44.83 Ft 14.8K

53.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.91 Ft 6,235

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 Ft 3,356

$8.49 Ft 2,801

19.91%

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

$600 Ft 197.9K

$243 Ft 80.0K

147.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.5M

$6,655 Ft 2.2M

152.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 Ft 32.6K

$68.4 Ft 22.5K

44.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 14.3K

$24.45 Ft 8,060

76.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 37.2K

$74.6 Ft 24.6K

51.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 Ft 38.6K

$82.1 Ft 27.1K

42.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 Ft 275.6K

$394 Ft 130.0K

112.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 Ft 210.9K

$308 Ft 101.5K

107.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 Ft 526.9K

$629 Ft 207.5K

153.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 Ft 397.3K

$655 Ft 215.9K

83.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,625 Ft 1.9M

$3,372 Ft 1.1M

66.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,802 Ft 1.3M

$3,051 Ft 1.0M

24.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,671 Ft 551.1K

$1,489 Ft 490.7K

12.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.67

-3.30%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Budapest: October 27, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$640 39.1%

Szekesfehervar

$308 28.3% 51.9% $332

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Szekesfehervar

$241 22.2% 6.7% $17

Eating Out

Budapest

$221 13.5%

Szekesfehervar

$150 13.7% 32.2% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$219 13.4%

Szekesfehervar

$174 16% 20.8% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.2%

Szekesfehervar

$112 10.3% 33% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$89 5.4%

Szekesfehervar

$62 5.7% 30.5% $27

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Szekesfehervar

$42 3.9% 2.7% $1.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $836 in Budapest versus $394 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 12% 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 $61 in Budapest versus $59 in Szekesfehervar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $241 – making Szekesfehervar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇭🇺 Szekesfehervar

🕒 Local time

18:42 6:42 PM

Same time as Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

96,024

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.03 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.72 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.03 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.72 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Szekesfehervar 58 km

From you

Budapest
Szekesfehervar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,457 per month in Budapest and $1,633 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $394 there versus $836 in Budapest.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Szekesfehervar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $600 per month in Budapest and $243 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 $1,089, than in Budapest at $1,638. 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.