Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Veria

For one person, living is cheaper in Veria: $1,301 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Veria
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,301
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Veria

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 Veria actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,301 in Veria, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Veria $1,301

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $2,117 in Veria, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Veria $2,117

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,932 in Veria, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Veria $2,932

Budapest costs about 24% more than Veria, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Veria is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$17.04 €15.15
-18.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$61.0 €54.3
0.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$10.95 €9.74
-6.94%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$4.17 €3.71
-21.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$2.84 €2.53
-24.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.72 €0.64
147.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$5.61 €4.99
-33.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$5.47 €4.87
-31.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$1.46 €1.30
-21.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.29 €1.14
38.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$1.70 €1.51
46.47%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$3.86 €3.43
1.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$11.04 €9.82
0.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$10.96 €9.75
-39.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$15.88 €14.12
-7.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$2.29 €2.04
-20.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$2.15 €1.91
-4.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$1.68 €1.50
41.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$2.83 €2.52
37.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.29 €1.15
-23.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$0.90 €0.80
11.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.59 €1.41
-0.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.88 €0.78
-23.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$4.59 €4.09
73.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$10.06 €8.95
-38.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$2.00 €1.77
-36.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$3.32 €2.95
-38.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Veria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$1.38 €1.22
10.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$43.06 €38.30
-34.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$4.15 €3.69
-20.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$1.14 €1.01
20.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$16.65 €14.81
19.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$2.33 €2.07
-21.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$27.5K €24.5K
8.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$31.4K €27.9K
7.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$122 €109
40.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$22.63 €20.13
3.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$27.52 €24.48
-15.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$33.46 €29.76
101.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$25.26 €22.47
-25.22%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$8.80 €7.83
5.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$338 €301
57.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$9,073 €8,070
84.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$95.4 €84.9
4.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$44.58 €39.65
-2.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$126 €112
-12.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$129 €115
-7.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Veria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$335 €298
147.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$279 €248
122.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$606 €539
163.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$566 €503
106.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$992 €883
487.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$2,212 €1,967
75.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Veria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$998 €888
65.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5.34
20.79%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Veria: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Veria
$279 55.1% $343
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Veria
$290 12.3% $32
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Veria
$272 22.1% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Veria
$172 20.9% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Veria
$178 6.1% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Veria
$51 40.7% $35
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Veria
$58 32% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $335 in Veria. 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 65% 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $61.0 in Veria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $290 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇬🇷 Veria
🕒 Local time
16:17 4:17 PM
17:17 5:17 PM
1 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
42,794
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Veria 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Veria

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 Veria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Veria cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 24%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,951 in Veria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Veria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 54% less in Veria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $338 in Veria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Veria?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veria, where all-in costs run around $1,301, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Veria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Veria more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Veria – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Veria?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Veria. 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.

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