Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Ulsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulsan: $1,339 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
Learn more

Ulsan Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,339

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Ulsan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Budapest and in Ulsan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,339 in Ulsan, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Ulsan $1,339

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,185 in Ulsan, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Ulsan $2,185

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $3,030 in Ulsan, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Ulsan $3,030

Budapest costs about 21% more than Ulsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Ulsan is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$7.62 ₩10.1K

82.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$44.63 ₩59.3K

37.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$5.93 ₩7,882

71.84%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.32 ₩4,410

-1.81%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.88 ₩1,175

143.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.47 ₩619

278.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$3.01 ₩4,006

23.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$4.38 ₩5,826

-13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$2.36 ₩3,139

-51.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$3.25 ₩4,315

-44.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$3.16 ₩4,207

-21.20%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.73 ₩3,634

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$10.88 ₩14.5K

2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$10.63 ₩14.1K

-37.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$24.54 ₩32.6K

-40.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$11.39 ₩15.1K

-83.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$3.74 ₩4,975

-45.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$8.09 ₩10.8K

-70.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$6.05 ₩8,048

-35.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$6.01 ₩7,992

-83.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$3.26 ₩4,328

-69.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$2.89 ₩3,844

-45.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$1.28 ₩1,707

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.12 ₩4,154

155.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$18.52 ₩24.6K

-66.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.45 ₩3,264

-48.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.44 ₩4,577

-40.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.14 ₩1,511

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$2.89 ₩3,849

14.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.78 ₩1,040

75.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$16.96 ₩22.6K

16.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.43 ₩1,899

27.27%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$30.0K ₩39.9M

-0.73%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$34.1K ₩45.4M

-0.95%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$197 ₩261.8K

-13.09%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$37.06 ₩49.3K

-36.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$27.21 ₩36.2K

-14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$60.4 ₩80.3K

11.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$10.30 ₩13.7K

-9.71%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$263 ₩349.3K

103.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$22.0K ₩29.3M

-23.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$51.5 ₩68.5K

93.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$45.56 ₩60.6K

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$61.0 ₩81.2K

80.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$75.0 ₩99.7K

58.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$373 ₩495.3K

122.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$244 ₩324.7K

154.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$761 ₩1.0M

109.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$648 ₩861.8K

80.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$4,483 ₩6.0M

30.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$2,479 ₩3.3M

56.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$2,331 ₩3.1M

-29.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.22

52.84%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Ulsan

$244 18.2% 60.7% $378

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Ulsan

$489 36.5% 89.5% $231

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Ulsan

$148 11% 33.7% $75

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Ulsan

$261 19.5% 19.8% $43

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Ulsan

$105 7.8% 37.4% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Ulsan

$81 6.1% 5.9% $5.1

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Ulsan

$11 * 0.9% 74.3% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $373 in Ulsan. 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 41% higher in Ulsan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $45.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $489 in Ulsan – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🕒 Local time

19:33 7:33 PM

02:33 2:33 AM

7 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,129,827

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Ulsan 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Ulsan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $2,009 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $45.00 in Ulsan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 89% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulsan, where all-in costs run around $1,339, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Ulsan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulsan – 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 Ulsan. 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.