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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Budapest vs $1,068 in Szekszard, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,207 per month in Budapest vs $1,601 in Szekszard, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,976 per month in Budapest vs $2,135 in Szekszard, rent included.

Budapest costs about 35% more than Szekszard, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szekszard is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 Ft 3,606

$11.60 Ft 3,567

1.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 Ft 17.9K

$42.74 Ft 13.1K

35.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 Ft 2,631

$8.30 Ft 2,552

3.13%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 856

$1.43 Ft 439

94.41%

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

$1.78 Ft 548

$1.37 Ft 420

29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 396

$0.98 Ft 302

31.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 Ft 880

$2.55 Ft 783

12.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 901

$2.61 Ft 803

12.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 Ft 386

$1.07 Ft 328

17.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 Ft 520

$1.12 Ft 345

50.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 655

$1.81 Ft 556

17.68%

Eggs

$3.07 Ft 943

$2.38 Ft 731

28.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 Ft 3,016

$9.14 Ft 2,812

7.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 Ft 1,957

$5.71 Ft 1,756

11.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 Ft 4,019

$11.04 Ft 3,393

18.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 594

$1.48 Ft 454

30.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 612

$1.72 Ft 528

15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 669

$1.77 Ft 544

23.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,109

$2.34 Ft 719

54.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 348

$1.16 Ft 357

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 Ft 369

$1.33 Ft 409

-9.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 454

$1.47 Ft 453

0.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 176

$0.44 Ft 137

29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 Ft 2,131

$7.50 Ft 2,306

-7.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 Ft 1,800

$6.58 Ft 2,023

-11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 368

$0.98 Ft 303

22.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 Ft 528

$1.18 Ft 363

45.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 Ft 388

$1.03 Ft 317

22.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.55 Ft 7,856

$25.07 Ft 7,708

1.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 Ft 990

$2.92 Ft 897

10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 Ft 361

$0.80 Ft 246

46.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.78 Ft 5,774

$17.51 Ft 5,384

7.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 560

$1.76 Ft 540

3.41%

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

$25.4K Ft 7.8M

$31.2K Ft 9.6M

-18.69%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.6M

$34.4K Ft 10.6M

-8.81%

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

$144 Ft 44.3K

$114 Ft 35.0K

26.33%

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

$25.99 Ft 7,991

$14.67 Ft 4,510

77.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,168

$20.30 Ft 6,241

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 Ft 19.7K

$46.24 Ft 14.2K

38.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 Ft 6,713

$16.59 Ft 5,102

31.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,794

$6.86 Ft 2,111

32.51%

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

$463 Ft 142.4K

$468 Ft 143.8K

-0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K Ft 3.8M

$6,894 Ft 2.1M

81.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 Ft 26.0K

$57.5 Ft 17.7K

46.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 Ft 13.3K

$23.46 Ft 7,213

83.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 Ft 29.6K

$87.7 Ft 27.0K

9.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 32.4K

$71.6 Ft 22.0K

47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 Ft 222.0K

$447 Ft 137.4K

61.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 167.0K

$342 Ft 105.3K

58.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 Ft 406.0K

$623 Ft 191.6K

111.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 Ft 292.9K

$527 Ft 162.0K

80.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,215 Ft 1.9M

$1,719 Ft 528.5K

261.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,448 Ft 1.4M

$1,324 Ft 407.0K

236.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,795 Ft 552.0K

$1,010 Ft 310.5K

77.79%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Szekszard: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Budapest versus $447 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 78% 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 $202 – 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 35%, 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 $2,158 per month in Budapest and $1,601 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 2% less in Szekszard. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $468 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 $1,068, than in Budapest at $1,439. 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.