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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Budapest vs $1,068 in Szekszard, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Budapest vs $1,619 in Szekszard, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Budapest vs $2,170 in Szekszard, rent included.

Budapest costs about 34% 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

$11.54 Ft 3,635

$11.33 Ft 3,569

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

$43.26 Ft 13.6K

34.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 Ft 2,800

$8.24 Ft 2,595

7.89%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Ft 860

$1.46 Ft 460

86.99%

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

$1.71 Ft 539

$1.37 Ft 431

24.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 404

$0.98 Ft 308

30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Ft 923

$2.56 Ft 808

14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Ft 903

$2.54 Ft 801

12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 381

$1.12 Ft 352

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 Ft 555

$1.18 Ft 372

49.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 655

$1.85 Ft 584

12.43%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 965

$2.38 Ft 749

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 Ft 3,212

$9.09 Ft 2,864

12.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 Ft 1,909

$5.77 Ft 1,818

5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 Ft 4,215

$11.34 Ft 3,574

17.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 605

$1.47 Ft 465

30.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 598

$1.71 Ft 537

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 688

$1.68 Ft 531

29.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 Ft 1,094

$2.24 Ft 706

54.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 352

$1.13 Ft 355

-0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 393

$1.33 Ft 419

-6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 493

$1.49 Ft 470

4.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 182

$0.45 Ft 140

28.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 Ft 2,145

$7.40 Ft 2,332

-7.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 Ft 1,973

$6.41 Ft 2,019

-2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Ft 380

$0.98 Ft 309

23.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 Ft 527

$1.18 Ft 371

41.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 Ft 419

$1.02 Ft 323

30.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Ft 8,171

$25.15 Ft 7,924

3.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 972

$2.95 Ft 929

4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 351

$0.79 Ft 250

40.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 Ft 5,881

$16.99 Ft 5,353

9.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 Ft 584

$1.67 Ft 526

10.78%

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

$25.4K Ft 8.0M

$32.2K Ft 10.1M

-21.00%

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

$31.5K Ft 9.9M

$34.4K Ft 10.8M

-8.50%

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

$148 Ft 46.6K

$114 Ft 36.0K

29.30%

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

$25.98 Ft 8,186

$14.11 Ft 4,447

84.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 Ft 6,371

$19.75 Ft 6,223

2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 Ft 19.8K

$46.36 Ft 14.6K

35.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 7,005

$17.01 Ft 5,361

30.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,803

$6.84 Ft 2,154

30.12%

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

$464 Ft 146.2K

$469 Ft 147.9K

-1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

$6,708 Ft 2.1M

84.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 Ft 26.8K

$57.1 Ft 18.0K

48.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.6K

$23.25 Ft 7,324

86.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 Ft 30.1K

$86.6 Ft 27.3K

10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.7K

$70.7 Ft 22.3K

47.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 232.5K

$437 Ft 137.7K

68.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 Ft 176.0K

$352 Ft 110.8K

58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 Ft 421.2K

$636 Ft 200.3K

110.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 Ft 304.1K

$527 Ft 166.0K

83.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

$1,682 Ft 529.8K

253.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

$1,281 Ft 403.5K

233.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 Ft 545.6K

$944 Ft 297.5K

83.38%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szekszard: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $437 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 83% 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 $203 – 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 $2,152 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 3% less in Szekszard. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Budapest and $469 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 $1,435. 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.