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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $1,485 in Szentendre, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $2,171 in Szentendre, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $2,857 in Szentendre, rent included.

Budapest costs about 16% more than Szentendre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budapest and Szentendre sit above the global median – Budapest by 25%, Szentendre by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,465

$12.91 Ft 4,016

11.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 19.7K

$58.4 Ft 18.2K

8.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,493

$9.45 Ft 2,939

18.84%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,058

$2.71 Ft 843

25.46%

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

$2.14 Ft 667

$1.98 Ft 615

8.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 632

$1.25 Ft 387

62.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,162

$3.38 Ft 1,053

10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,179

$3.02 Ft 940

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.26 Ft 392

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.57 Ft 488

21.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 803

$2.43 Ft 755

6.17%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,287

$3.31 Ft 1,030

25.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,868

$12.22 Ft 3,801

1.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,146

$6.59 Ft 2,050

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,777

$14.23 Ft 4,427

7.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 645

$2.09 Ft 652

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 676

$2.14 Ft 664

1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 776

$2.19 Ft 682

13.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,278

$4.19 Ft 1,303

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 322

$1.03 Ft 321

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 310

$1.04 Ft 323

-3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 494

$1.58 Ft 492

0.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 212

$0.55 Ft 170

23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,609

$8.32 Ft 2,590

0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 1,984

$6.23 Ft 1,939

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 414

$1.25 Ft 390

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 701

$1.71 Ft 532

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 491

$1.25 Ft 389

26.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,954

$29.51 Ft 9,183

-2.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,110

$3.11 Ft 966

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 445

$1.38 Ft 430

3.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,405

$19.15 Ft 5,959

7.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 582

$1.86 Ft 580

0.54%

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

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

$31.9K Ft 9.9M

-0.38%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

$35.2K Ft 10.9M

2.14%

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

$173 Ft 54.0K

$161 Ft 50.1K

7.63%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,080

$31.69 Ft 9,858

-18.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 7,855

$24.84 Ft 7,728

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

$47.56 Ft 14.8K

50.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,975

$20.83 Ft 6,482

-7.83%

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,038

$7.79 Ft 2,424

25.29%

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

$577 Ft 179.5K

$512 Ft 159.3K

12.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

$17.5K Ft 5.5M

0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.2K

$92.0 Ft 28.6K

16.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

$28.43 Ft 8,844

55.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.2K

$103 Ft 31.9K

13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$112 Ft 34.7K

7.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 267.1K

$632 Ft 196.6K

35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 208.8K

$576 Ft 179.1K

16.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 520.1K

$785 Ft 244.4K

112.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 403.1K

$739 Ft 229.9K

75.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

$3,223 Ft 1.0M

88.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

$3,969 Ft 1.2M

4.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 531.6K

$1,604 Ft 499.0K

6.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $632 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 7% 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 $58.0 in Szentendre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $257 – 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 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,581 per month in Budapest and $2,228 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 3% less in Szentendre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $577 per month in Budapest and $512 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 $1,485, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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.