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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,666 per month in Budapest vs $1,245 in Szekszard, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,657 per month in Budapest vs $1,901 in Szekszard, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,649 per month in Budapest vs $2,556 in Szekszard, rent included.

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

Budapest sits 22% above the global median, while Szekszard is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.41 Ft 4,583

$12.57 Ft 4,000

14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$47.99 Ft 15.3K

31.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 Ft 3,567

$9.37 Ft 2,980

19.64%

Cappuccino

$3.56 Ft 1,131

$1.59 Ft 506

123.90%

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

$2.16 Ft 687

$1.93 Ft 615

11.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Ft 639

$1.23 Ft 393

63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 Ft 1,223

$3.21 Ft 1,022

19.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 Ft 1,220

$2.97 Ft 944

29.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Ft 397

$1.22 Ft 390

2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Ft 595

$1.49 Ft 475

25.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 Ft 811

$2.40 Ft 764

6.25%

Eggs

$4.10 Ft 1,305

$3.19 Ft 1,016

28.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 Ft 3,796

$11.39 Ft 3,625

4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 Ft 2,188

$6.40 Ft 2,037

7.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 Ft 4,868

$13.81 Ft 4,394

10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$1.79 Ft 570

11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 Ft 696

$1.99 Ft 633

10.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 802

$2.07 Ft 658

21.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 Ft 1,317

$2.87 Ft 914

44.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 318

$1.08 Ft 344

-7.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 327

$1.30 Ft 415

-20.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 Ft 532

$1.80 Ft 574

-7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 222

$0.49 Ft 155

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 Ft 2,602

$8.14 Ft 2,590

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 Ft 2,006

$6.21 Ft 1,977

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 417

$1.20 Ft 381

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 Ft 670

$1.60 Ft 509

31.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 Ft 498

$1.23 Ft 393

27.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 Ft 8,951

$26.77 Ft 8,515

5.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 Ft 1,113

$3.12 Ft 992

12.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 Ft 431

$1.54 Ft 491

-12.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.69 Ft 6,581

$19.27 Ft 6,131

7.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 617

$1.87 Ft 595

3.74%

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

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

$33.9K Ft 10.8M

-6.84%

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

$34.6K Ft 11.0M

$35.2K Ft 11.2M

-1.62%

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

$174 Ft 55.4K

$129 Ft 40.9K

35.35%

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

$25.89 Ft 8,235

$18.70 Ft 5,949

38.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 Ft 7,781

$23.79 Ft 7,569

2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 Ft 22.3K

$48.70 Ft 15.5K

44.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.50 Ft 6,204

$17.84 Ft 5,675

9.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.59 Ft 3,051

$7.63 Ft 2,428

25.69%

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

$555 Ft 176.5K

$502 Ft 159.7K

10.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K Ft 5.6M

$8,580 Ft 2.7M

103.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 Ft 33.4K

$63.6 Ft 20.2K

65.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 Ft 13.9K

$24.92 Ft 7,928

75.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Ft 37.3K

$94.4 Ft 30.0K

24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 38.6K

$80.3 Ft 25.6K

51.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Ft 273.6K

$540 Ft 171.8K

59.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 Ft 208.4K

$411 Ft 130.6K

59.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 Ft 537.7K

$789 Ft 250.9K

114.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 Ft 401.5K

$663 Ft 210.9K

90.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 Ft 1.9M

$1,690 Ft 537.5K

247.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

$1,247 Ft 396.8K

222.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 Ft 551.8K

$936 Ft 297.8K

85.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

8.25

-20.48%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 13, 2026

Last update for Szekszard: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Budapest versus $540 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 85% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $48.00 in Szekszard. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $241 – 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 $2,499 per month in Budapest and $1,868 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 5% less in Szekszard. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Budapest and $502 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 $1,245, than in Budapest at $1,666. 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.