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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Budapest vs $1,126 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,207 per month in Budapest vs $1,619 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,976 per month in Budapest vs $2,111 in Szombathely, rent included.

Budapest costs about 28% more than Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szombathely is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 Ft 3,524

$8.41 Ft 2,527

39.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 Ft 17.5K

$42.46 Ft 12.8K

36.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 Ft 2,571

$8.54 Ft 2,566

0.23%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 836

$2.13 Ft 641

30.52%

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

$1.78 Ft 536

$1.10 Ft 330

61.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 387

$0.96 Ft 289

34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 Ft 860

$1.61 Ft 483

77.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 881

$2.13 Ft 639

37.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 Ft 377

$1.11 Ft 333

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 Ft 508

$1.52 Ft 455

11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 640

$1.89 Ft 569

12.70%

Eggs

$3.07 Ft 922

$2.54 Ft 763

20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 Ft 2,948

$9.29 Ft 2,793

5.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 Ft 1,913

$6.16 Ft 1,851

3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 Ft 3,927

$14.42 Ft 4,334

-9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 581

$1.91 Ft 575

1.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 598

$1.91 Ft 574

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 654

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,083

$2.82 Ft 846

28.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 340

$1.17 Ft 351

-3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 Ft 361

$1.29 Ft 388

-6.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 443

$1.81 Ft 544

-18.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 172

$0.53 Ft 160

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 Ft 2,083

$7.01 Ft 2,105

-1.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 Ft 1,759

$5.01 Ft 1,504

16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 360

$1.18 Ft 355

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 Ft 516

$1.55 Ft 465

10.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 Ft 379

$0.84 Ft 252

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.55 Ft 7,677

$17.79 Ft 5,345

43.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 Ft 967

$2.52 Ft 758

27.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 Ft 353

$1.12 Ft 337

4.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.78 Ft 5,643

$22.09 Ft 6,639

-14.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 548

$1.73 Ft 520

5.20%

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

$25.4K Ft 7.6M

$27.0K Ft 8.1M

-6.05%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.4M

$26.3K Ft 7.9M

19.21%

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

$144 Ft 43.3K

$162 Ft 48.7K

-11.15%

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

$25.99 Ft 7,810

$27.03 Ft 8,123

-3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,028

$19.98 Ft 6,004

0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 Ft 19.2K

$46.49 Ft 14.0K

37.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 Ft 6,561

$16.62 Ft 4,995

31.35%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,730

$4.33 Ft 1,302

109.93%

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

$463 Ft 139.2K

$396 Ft 119.1K

16.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K Ft 3.7M

$7,180 Ft 2.2M

73.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 Ft 25.4K

$93.5 Ft 28.1K

-9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 Ft 13.0K

$43.94 Ft 13.2K

-1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 Ft 28.9K

$94.1 Ft 28.3K

2.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 31.6K

$99.0 Ft 29.8K

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 Ft 216.9K

$427 Ft 128.4K

68.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 163.2K

$321 Ft 96.5K

69.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 Ft 396.8K

$431 Ft 129.4K

206.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 Ft 286.3K

$348 Ft 104.6K

173.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,215 Ft 1.9M

$2,632 Ft 790.8K

136.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,448 Ft 1.3M

$2,175 Ft 653.5K

104.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,795 Ft 539.5K

$1,248 Ft 375.0K

43.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

7.5

-6.27%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 15, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Budapest versus $427 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 44% 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 $42.00 in Szombathely. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $228 – 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 28%, 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 $2,158 per month in Budapest and $1,689 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 44% less in Szombathely. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $396 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 $1,126, than in Budapest at $1,439. 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.