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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,463 per month in Budapest vs $1,111 in Szentendre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,209 per month in Budapest vs $1,732 in Szentendre, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,955 per month in Budapest vs $2,353 in Szentendre, rent included.

Budapest costs about 32% more than Szentendre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 10% above the global median, while Szentendre is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 Ft 3,648

$11.69 Ft 3,714

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

$56.0 Ft 17.8K

0.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.73 Ft 2,775

$8.59 Ft 2,731

1.63%

Cappuccino

$2.85 Ft 906

$2.15 Ft 682

32.56%

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

$1.74 Ft 552

$1.42 Ft 452

22.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 416

$1.20 Ft 382

9.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 Ft 888

$2.96 Ft 940

-5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 932

$2.31 Ft 735

26.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 Ft 403

$1.06 Ft 336

19.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 Ft 556

$1.50 Ft 478

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Ft 672

$1.82 Ft 579

15.93%

Eggs

$3.16 Ft 1,004

$2.62 Ft 832

20.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 Ft 3,148

$9.67 Ft 3,073

2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 Ft 2,008

$6.21 Ft 1,975

1.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 Ft 4,315

$12.27 Ft 3,898

10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 606

$1.68 Ft 533

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 635

$1.97 Ft 625

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 684

$1.88 Ft 597

14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,140

$3.28 Ft 1,041

9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 357

$1.08 Ft 343

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 383

$1.21 Ft 384

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 Ft 490

$1.56 Ft 495

-1.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Ft 173

$0.60 Ft 191

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,158

$6.62 Ft 2,102

2.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.78 Ft 1,837

$6.03 Ft 1,917

-4.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 381

$1.12 Ft 354

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 Ft 525

$1.72 Ft 547

-4.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 404

$1.18 Ft 374

7.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 Ft 8,244

$27.25 Ft 8,659

-4.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 1,035

$2.65 Ft 843

23.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 Ft 6,105

$13.72 Ft 4,361

40.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 560

$1.79 Ft 568

-1.68%

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

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

$24.4K Ft 7.7M

7.76%

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

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

$31.4K Ft 10.0M

-2.27%

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

$144 Ft 45.6K

$148 Ft 47.1K

-3.18%

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

$26.33 Ft 8,367

$26.85 Ft 8,531

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,375

$20.19 Ft 6,415

-0.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

$47.40 Ft 15.1K

33.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.87 Ft 6,949

$22.84 Ft 7,259

-4.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,828

$7.40 Ft 2,351

20.27%

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

$450 Ft 143.1K

$328 Ft 104.1K

37.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

$3,452 Ft 1.1M

251.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

$56.2 Ft 17.9K

50.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

$27.77 Ft 8,825

53.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

$63.5 Ft 20.2K

54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$68.1 Ft 21.7K

51.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$715 Ft 227.2K

$445 Ft 141.4K

60.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 178.0K

$342 Ft 108.7K

63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

$625 Ft 198.5K

114.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 Ft 308.5K

$527 Ft 167.4K

84.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

$3,222 Ft 1.0M

88.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

7.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

$1,569 Ft 498.7K

11.57%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $715 in Budapest versus $445 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 12% 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 $56.0 in Budapest versus $56.0 in Szentendre. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Budapest vs $225 in Szentendre – so Szentendre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 32%, 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 $2,194 per month in Budapest and $1,666 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 5% less in Szentendre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $450 per month in Budapest and $328 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 $1,111, than in Budapest at $1,463. 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.