Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Zalaegerszeg Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Zalaegerszeg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,439 per month in Budapest vs $962 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,207 per month in Budapest vs $1,472 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,976 per month in Budapest vs $1,981 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

Budapest costs about 49% more than Zalaegerszeg, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Zalaegerszeg is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 Ft 3,524

$11.71 Ft 3,518

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 Ft 17.5K

$57.6 Ft 17.3K

0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 Ft 2,571

$8.51 Ft 2,558

0.59%

Cappuccino

$2.78 Ft 836

$2.24 Ft 672

24.11%

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

$1.78 Ft 536

$1.61 Ft 485

10.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 387

$1.19 Ft 358

8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 Ft 860

$1.88 Ft 565

52.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 Ft 881

$1.89 Ft 568

55.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 Ft 377

$1.03 Ft 310

22.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 Ft 508

$1.42 Ft 427

19.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 640

$2.12 Ft 637

0.47%

Eggs

$3.07 Ft 922

$3.01 Ft 905

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 Ft 2,948

$9.77 Ft 2,935

0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 Ft 1,913

$4.64 Ft 1,393

37.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 Ft 3,927

$7.41 Ft 2,226

76.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 Ft 581

$1.47 Ft 442

31.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 Ft 598

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 654

$1.90 Ft 570

14.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 Ft 1,083

$3.52 Ft 1,059

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 340

$1.12 Ft 337

0.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 Ft 361

$1.26 Ft 380

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 443

$1.16 Ft 349

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 172

$0.54 Ft 163

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 Ft 2,083

$6.80 Ft 2,043

1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 Ft 1,759

$5.87 Ft 1,765

-0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 360

$0.89 Ft 269

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 Ft 516

$1.40 Ft 421

22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 Ft 379

$1.08 Ft 323

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.55 Ft 7,677

$17.22 Ft 5,175

48.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 Ft 967

$3.11 Ft 934

3.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 Ft 353

$1.02 Ft 306

14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.78 Ft 5,643

$19.24 Ft 5,780

-2.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 548

$1.80 Ft 542

1.11%

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

$25.4K Ft 7.6M

$26.1K Ft 7.8M

-2.71%

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

$31.4K Ft 9.4M

$30.9K Ft 9.3M

1.59%

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

$144 Ft 43.3K

$135 Ft 40.7K

6.42%

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

$25.99 Ft 7,810

$25.69 Ft 7,721

1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 Ft 6,028

$20.44 Ft 6,143

-1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 Ft 19.2K

$36.96 Ft 11.1K

73.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 Ft 6,561

$34.78 Ft 10.4K

-37.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 Ft 2,730

$7.03 Ft 2,113

29.30%

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

$463 Ft 139.2K

$203 Ft 61.1K

127.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K Ft 3.7M

$6,322 Ft 1.9M

97.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 Ft 25.4K

$28.86 Ft 8,673

192.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 Ft 13.0K

$22.57 Ft 6,782

91.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 Ft 28.9K

$47.45 Ft 14.3K

103.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 31.6K

$52.4 Ft 15.7K

100.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 Ft 216.9K

$321 Ft 96.6K

124.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 163.2K

$275 Ft 82.6K

97.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 Ft 396.8K

$431 Ft 129.7K

206.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 Ft 286.3K

$293 Ft 88.0K

225.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,215 Ft 1.9M

$2,010 Ft 603.9K

209.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,448 Ft 1.3M

$1,654 Ft 497.0K

168.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,795 Ft 539.5K

$836 Ft 251.3K

114.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

0.43%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 15, 2026

Last update for Zalaegerszeg: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Budapest versus $321 in Zalaegerszeg. 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 115% 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 $58.0 in Zalaegerszeg. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $200 in Zalaegerszeg – so Zalaegerszeg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Zalaegerszeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,444 in Zalaegerszeg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 48% less in Zalaegerszeg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Budapest and $203 in Zalaegerszeg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zalaegerszeg, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Budapest at $1,439. In Zalaegerszeg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zalaegerszeg – 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 Zalaegerszeg. 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.