Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szombathely Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Szombathely

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,666 per month in Budapest vs $1,258 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,657 per month in Budapest vs $2,005 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,649 per month in Budapest vs $2,753 in Szombathely, rent included.

Budapest costs about 32% more than Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 22% above the global median, while Szombathely is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.41 Ft 4,555

$12.59 Ft 3,980

14.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

$56.0 Ft 17.7K

12.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 Ft 3,545

$8.98 Ft 2,839

24.83%

Cappuccino

$3.56 Ft 1,124

$2.47 Ft 780

44.13%

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

$2.16 Ft 683

$1.40 Ft 441

54.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Ft 635

$1.33 Ft 422

51.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 Ft 1,216

$1.85 Ft 586

108.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 Ft 1,213

$2.42 Ft 764

58.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 Ft 395

$1.23 Ft 390

1.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 Ft 591

$1.71 Ft 540

9.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 Ft 806

$2.45 Ft 774

4.08%

Eggs

$4.10 Ft 1,297

$3.43 Ft 1,084

19.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 Ft 3,773

$10.60 Ft 3,352

12.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 Ft 2,174

$6.99 Ft 2,211

-1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 Ft 4,838

$16.95 Ft 5,359

-9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 Ft 631

$2.31 Ft 731

-13.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 Ft 691

$2.13 Ft 675

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 797

$2.56 Ft 811

-1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 Ft 1,309

$3.44 Ft 1,086

20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 316

$1.17 Ft 369

-14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 325

$1.44 Ft 454

-28.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 Ft 529

$1.90 Ft 601

-12.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 221

$0.61 Ft 192

14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 Ft 2,586

$8.56 Ft 2,708

-4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.31 Ft 1,994

$4.73 Ft 1,495

33.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 414

$1.32 Ft 417

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 Ft 666

$2.66 Ft 841

-20.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 Ft 495

$0.86 Ft 273

82.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 Ft 8,896

$27.69 Ft 8,755

1.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 Ft 1,106

$2.85 Ft 901

22.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 Ft 428

$1.40 Ft 443

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.69 Ft 6,541

$24.55 Ft 7,762

-15.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 613

$1.89 Ft 598

2.65%

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

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

$29.8K Ft 9.4M

5.99%

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

$34.6K Ft 10.9M

$33.9K Ft 10.7M

2.10%

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

$174 Ft 55.0K

$173 Ft 54.6K

0.67%

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

$25.89 Ft 8,185

$21.19 Ft 6,700

22.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.46 Ft 7,733

$21.29 Ft 6,730

14.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.3 Ft 22.2K

$49.16 Ft 15.5K

42.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.50 Ft 6,166

$20.03 Ft 6,332

-2.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.59 Ft 3,032

$4.63 Ft 1,464

107.13%

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

$555 Ft 175.4K

$437 Ft 138.1K

27.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K Ft 5.5M

$8,042 Ft 2.5M

117.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 Ft 33.2K

$104 Ft 33.0K

0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.79 Ft 13.8K

$53.5 Ft 16.9K

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 Ft 37.1K

$99.1 Ft 31.3K

18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 38.4K

$116 Ft 36.7K

4.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Ft 271.9K

$543 Ft 171.8K

58.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 Ft 207.1K

$353 Ft 111.7K

85.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 Ft 534.4K

$769 Ft 243.3K

119.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,262 Ft 399.0K

$681 Ft 215.2K

85.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,865 Ft 1.9M

$2,489 Ft 786.9K

135.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

$2,030 Ft 641.9K

97.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,735 Ft 548.4K

$1,186 Ft 375.0K

46.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

7.5

-12.53%

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

Last update for Budapest: September 13, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Budapest versus $543 in Szombathely. 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 46% 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 $56.0 in Szombathely. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $265 – making Szombathely 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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,499 per month in Budapest and $1,887 in Szombathely. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Szombathely. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Budapest and $437 in Szombathely. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szombathely, where all-in costs run around $1,258, than in Budapest at $1,666. In Szombathely it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szombathely – 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 Szombathely. 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.