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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Budapest vs $1,149 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Budapest vs $1,635 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,972 per month in Budapest vs $2,121 in Szombathely, rent included.

Budapest costs about 25% more than Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Szombathely is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.54 Ft 3,650

$8.41 Ft 2,661

37.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 Ft 2,812

$8.59 Ft 2,717

3.49%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Ft 863

$2.11 Ft 667

29.38%

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

$1.71 Ft 541

$1.11 Ft 350

54.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 405

$0.99 Ft 313

29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Ft 927

$1.57 Ft 496

86.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Ft 906

$2.22 Ft 703

29.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 382

$1.07 Ft 338

13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 Ft 557

$1.57 Ft 496

12.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 657

$1.89 Ft 597

10.05%

Eggs

$3.06 Ft 969

$2.41 Ft 761

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 Ft 3,225

$9.26 Ft 2,929

10.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 Ft 1,917

$5.85 Ft 1,849

3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 Ft 4,232

$14.18 Ft 4,487

-5.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 608

$1.93 Ft 610

-0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 600

$1.82 Ft 577

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 691

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 Ft 1,098

$2.92 Ft 925

18.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 Ft 354

$1.17 Ft 369

-4.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 395

$1.22 Ft 387

2.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 495

$1.81 Ft 573

-13.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 183

$0.58 Ft 184

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 Ft 2,154

$7.07 Ft 2,238

-3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.26 Ft 1,981

$4.78 Ft 1,513

30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Ft 381

$1.14 Ft 361

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 Ft 529

$1.56 Ft 493

7.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 Ft 420

$0.79 Ft 248

68.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 Ft 8,204

$18.17 Ft 5,747

42.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 976

$2.56 Ft 811

20.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.16 Ft 366

-4.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 Ft 5,905

$22.12 Ft 6,997

-15.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 Ft 586

$1.66 Ft 524

11.45%

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

$25.4K Ft 8.0M

$27.6K Ft 8.7M

-7.91%

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

$31.5K Ft 10.0M

$26.0K Ft 8.2M

20.96%

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

$148 Ft 46.8K

$162 Ft 51.2K

-8.69%

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

$25.98 Ft 8,219

$27.23 Ft 8,615

-4.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 Ft 6,397

$19.40 Ft 6,137

4.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.0 Ft 19.9K

$45.24 Ft 14.3K

39.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 Ft 7,034

$16.98 Ft 5,372

30.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 Ft 2,814

$4.27 Ft 1,351

108.43%

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

$464 Ft 146.8K

$396 Ft 125.2K

17.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

$7,137 Ft 2.3M

73.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 Ft 26.9K

$92.9 Ft 29.4K

-8.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 Ft 13.7K

$44.71 Ft 14.1K

-3.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 Ft 30.2K

$91.8 Ft 29.0K

4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 Ft 32.9K

$100 Ft 31.7K

3.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 Ft 233.4K

$430 Ft 136.1K

71.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$559 Ft 176.7K

$313 Ft 99.0K

78.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 Ft 422.9K

$437 Ft 138.4K

205.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$965 Ft 305.3K

$342 Ft 108.3K

182.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

$2,488 Ft 787.1K

138.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

$2,085 Ft 659.4K

104.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 Ft 547.8K

$1,219 Ft 385.6K

42.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Budapest versus $430 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 42% 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 $226 – 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 25%, 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 $2,152 per month in Budapest and $1,723 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 43% less in Szombathely. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $464 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 $1,149, than in Budapest at $1,435. 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.