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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Budapest vs $1,136 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,208 per month in Budapest vs $1,615 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,979 per month in Budapest vs $2,095 in Szombathely, rent included.

Budapest costs about 27% more than Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 7% above the global median, while Szombathely is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,584

$8.69 Ft 2,713

32.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 Ft 18.2K

$43.04 Ft 13.4K

35.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 Ft 2,688

$8.51 Ft 2,654

1.18%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 866

$2.20 Ft 686

26.36%

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

$1.73 Ft 540

$1.09 Ft 340

58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 Ft 417

$1.00 Ft 311

34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Ft 879

$1.56 Ft 487

80.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Ft 891

$2.15 Ft 670

33.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 383

$1.10 Ft 342

11.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 Ft 521

$1.55 Ft 483

7.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 636

$1.90 Ft 594

7.37%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 955

$2.44 Ft 761

25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 Ft 3,191

$9.44 Ft 2,944

8.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 Ft 1,980

$6.02 Ft 1,880

5.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,179

$14.43 Ft 4,504

-7.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 595

$1.91 Ft 596

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 599

$1.84 Ft 573

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 680

$2.11 Ft 658

3.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.62 Ft 1,130

$2.81 Ft 876

28.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 351

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 377

$1.24 Ft 386

-2.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 462

$1.73 Ft 540

-14.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 180

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 Ft 2,046

$7.38 Ft 2,301

-11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 Ft 1,791

$4.72 Ft 1,472

21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 357

$1.17 Ft 365

-1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 Ft 517

$1.63 Ft 507

1.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Ft 397

$0.81 Ft 254

56.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 Ft 8,201

$18.26 Ft 5,697

43.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 Ft 977

$2.62 Ft 817

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 346

$1.16 Ft 363

-4.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.94 Ft 5,910

$22.65 Ft 7,067

-16.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 Ft 556

$1.65 Ft 516

7.88%

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

$25.7K Ft 8.0M

$27.5K Ft 8.6M

-6.42%

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

$30.4K Ft 9.5M

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

18.74%

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

$148 Ft 46.2K

$167 Ft 52.0K

-11.08%

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

$26.66 Ft 8,317

$27.84 Ft 8,685

-4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 Ft 6,229

$19.33 Ft 6,030

3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 Ft 19.9K

$45.57 Ft 14.2K

40.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 Ft 6,840

$16.58 Ft 5,173

32.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 Ft 2,726

$4.24 Ft 1,323

106.13%

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

$463 Ft 144.6K

$403 Ft 125.7K

14.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

$7,179 Ft 2.2M

69.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 Ft 26.8K

$91.9 Ft 28.7K

-6.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.5K

$45.15 Ft 14.1K

-4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 Ft 29.9K

$93.1 Ft 29.0K

2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.4K

$98.8 Ft 30.8K

5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 Ft 229.5K

$434 Ft 135.4K

69.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 Ft 174.6K

$319 Ft 99.5K

75.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 Ft 422.7K

$433 Ft 135.0K

213.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$972 Ft 303.4K

$346 Ft 107.9K

181.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,938 Ft 1.9M

$2,561 Ft 799.2K

131.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,194 Ft 1.3M

$2,081 Ft 649.4K

101.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,737 Ft 541.8K

$1,213 Ft 378.4K

43.20%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Budapest versus $434 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 43% 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 $43.00 in Szombathely. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $227 – 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 27%, 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 $2,157 per month in Budapest and $1,704 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 $403 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 $1,136, than in Budapest at $1,438. 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.