Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szentendre Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szentendre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,155 in Szentendre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,758 in Szentendre, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,361 in Szentendre, rent included.

Budapest costs about 26% more than Szentendre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szentendre is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,504

$11.73 Ft 3,576

-2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$55.5 Ft 16.9K

2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,641

$8.85 Ft 2,700

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 844

$2.08 Ft 634

33.17%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$1.42 Ft 433

26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 407

$1.24 Ft 379

7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 858

$2.90 Ft 885

-3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 852

$2.36 Ft 719

18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 368

$1.00 Ft 305

21.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 529

$1.57 Ft 479

10.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 636

$1.89 Ft 577

10.05%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 947

$2.71 Ft 826

14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,034

$9.86 Ft 3,007

0.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,930

$6.09 Ft 1,856

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,066

$12.32 Ft 3,756

8.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 565

$1.72 Ft 523

7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 582

$1.98 Ft 603

-3.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 662

$1.80 Ft 548

20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,119

$3.31 Ft 1,008

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.08 Ft 330

4.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 472

$1.48 Ft 450

4.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$0.57 Ft 174

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,072

$6.68 Ft 2,038

1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,790

$6.00 Ft 1,830

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.11 Ft 338

9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 527

$1.73 Ft 526

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$1.17 Ft 358

9.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,972

$27.16 Ft 8,283

-3.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 994

$2.55 Ft 777

27.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$1.11 Ft 338

1.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,865

$13.64 Ft 4,161

40.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 533

$1.81 Ft 553

-3.31%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$24.5K Ft 7.5M

5.69%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$31.1K Ft 9.5M

-1.00%

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

$145 Ft 44.3K

$145 Ft 44.1K

0.41%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,995

$26.47 Ft 8,072

-0.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,170

$20.05 Ft 6,114

0.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$47.27 Ft 14.4K

31.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,744

$23.40 Ft 7,137

-5.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,791

$7.37 Ft 2,249

24.15%

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

$454 Ft 138.4K

$333 Ft 101.4K

36.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$3,399 Ft 1.0M

256.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$55.8 Ft 17.0K

51.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$27.08 Ft 8,258

54.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$63.0 Ft 19.2K

52.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$68.3 Ft 20.8K

56.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 219.2K

$442 Ft 134.9K

62.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.6K

$340 Ft 103.8K

62.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

$631 Ft 192.5K

114.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 300.0K

$543 Ft 165.5K

81.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$3,217 Ft 981.0K

87.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$4,023 Ft 1.2M

11.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

$1,647 Ft 502.4K

11.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $442 in Szentendre. 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 11% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $56.0 in Szentendre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $225 – making Szentendre 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 Szentendre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 26%, 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 $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,732 in Szentendre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 4% less in Szentendre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $333 in Szentendre. 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 Szentendre, where all-in costs run around $1,155, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Szentendre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szentendre – 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 Szentendre. 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.