Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szekszard Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szekszard

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $1,070 in Szekszard, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,612 in Szekszard, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $2,155 in Szekszard, rent included.

Budapest costs about 34% more than Szekszard, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Szekszard is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,571

$11.49 Ft 3,573

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.1K

$42.58 Ft 13.2K

36.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,678

$8.15 Ft 2,533

5.64%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 863

$1.41 Ft 437

97.16%

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

$1.73 Ft 538

$1.43 Ft 444

20.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 415

$0.98 Ft 305

36.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 876

$2.66 Ft 827

6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 888

$2.57 Ft 798

11.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.09 Ft 339

12.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 519

$1.13 Ft 351

47.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 634

$1.77 Ft 551

15.25%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 952

$2.40 Ft 746

27.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,180

$9.48 Ft 2,946

7.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,973

$5.90 Ft 1,835

7.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,164

$11.24 Ft 3,493

19.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.40 Ft 435

36.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 597

$1.70 Ft 527

12.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 677

$1.75 Ft 543

24.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,126

$2.23 Ft 694

62.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 350

$1.13 Ft 350

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 376

$1.28 Ft 399

-5.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 460

$1.55 Ft 480

-4.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

$0.44 Ft 137

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,038

$7.40 Ft 2,301

-11.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,784

$6.57 Ft 2,041

-12.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 356

$0.99 Ft 307

16.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 515

$1.12 Ft 347

48.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 396

$1.04 Ft 322

22.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,171

$25.50 Ft 7,927

3.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 973

$2.86 Ft 891

9.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 345

$0.79 Ft 246

40.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,888

$17.47 Ft 5,431

8.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 554

$1.77 Ft 549

0.56%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$31.7K Ft 9.9M

-19.02%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$34.2K Ft 10.6M

-11.13%

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

$148 Ft 46.0K

$113 Ft 35.1K

31.12%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,287

$14.26 Ft 4,432

86.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,206

$20.19 Ft 6,277

-1.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$46.62 Ft 14.5K

36.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,815

$16.99 Ft 5,282

29.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,716

$6.87 Ft 2,135

27.22%

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

$463 Ft 144.0K

$452 Ft 140.6K

2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$6,646 Ft 2.1M

82.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.7K

$57.1 Ft 17.7K

50.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.4K

$23.07 Ft 7,172

87.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.7K

$87.9 Ft 27.3K

8.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.3K

$71.4 Ft 22.2K

45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 228.6K

$453 Ft 140.9K

62.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.0K

$342 Ft 106.3K

63.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 421.1K

$626 Ft 194.7K

116.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 302.3K

$529 Ft 164.3K

83.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.8M

$3,169 Ft 985.0K

87.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$2,418 Ft 751.7K

73.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 539.8K

$809 Ft 251.5K

114.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

-12.12%

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

Last update for Budapest: April 26, 2026

Last update for Szekszard: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $453 in Szekszard. 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 115% 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 $43.00 in Szekszard. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $204 – making Szekszard 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 Szekszard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 34%, 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 $1,604 in Szekszard. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $452 in Szekszard. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szekszard, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Budapest at $1,438. In Szekszard it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szekszard – 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 Szekszard. 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.