Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bursa and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bursa: $1,072 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Bursa
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Bursa Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Bursa

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,072

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bursa and in Budapest

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

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Bursa vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Bursa $1,072
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,689 per month in Bursa vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Bursa $1,689
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $2,305 per month in Bursa vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Bursa $2,305
Budapest $3,429

Bursa is about 34% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Bursa sits 21% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.88 ₺489

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-29.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.06 ₺1,488

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-50.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 ₺384

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-23.85%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₺186

$3.26 Ft 1,055

15.34%

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

$1.09 ₺54.1

$2.14 Ft 690

-49.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ₺19.24

$1.78 Ft 577

-78.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ₺118

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ₺151

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-19.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 ₺51.2

$1.15 Ft 371

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 ₺40.38

$1.79 Ft 578

-54.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ₺110

$2.49 Ft 804

-10.84%

Eggs

$2.42 ₺120

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-37.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.51 ₺521

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-5.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 ₺249

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-24.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.75 ₺978

$14.69 Ft 4,745

34.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₺84.9

$1.83 Ft 591

-6.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 ₺98.4

$2.05 Ft 661

-2.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₺55.0

$2.37 Ft 765

-53.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ₺62.7

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-67.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₺28.17

$0.99 Ft 320

-42.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₺19.75

$1.00 Ft 322

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₺38.02

$1.58 Ft 511

-51.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ₺33.65

$0.67 Ft 216

1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 ₺105

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-73.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.38 ₺712

$6.22 Ft 2,009

131.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₺103

$1.27 Ft 411

64.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₺108

$2.03 Ft 654

7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₺53.6

$1.52 Ft 490

-28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.85 ₺1,726

$28.02 Ft 9,053

24.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₺50.8

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-68.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 ₺44.08

$1.37 Ft 442

-35.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.91 ₺342

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-65.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₺69.8

$1.82 Ft 589

-22.53%

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

$42.1K ₺2.1M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

41.30%

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

$41.0K ₺2.0M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

21.40%

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

$77.7 ₺3,845

$171 Ft 55.3K

-54.61%

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

$11.00 ₺545

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-53.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.66 ₺726

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-37.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₺3,019

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-9.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.61 ₺1,169

$18.89 Ft 6,104

24.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 ₺297

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-35.48%

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

$561 ₺27.8K

$533 Ft 172.3K

5.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ₺557.2K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.77 ₺2,216

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-55.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.37 ₺1,751

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-18.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 ₺4,019

$110 Ft 35.7K

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 ₺4,683

$119 Ft 38.4K

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 ₺20.0K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₺16.0K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-48.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₺37.0K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-53.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₺30.9K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-46.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,194 ₺59.1K

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-79.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 ₺60.3K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-68.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 ₺52.0K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-36.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

42.67

6.45

561.55%

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

Last update for Bursa: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bursa

$323 30.1%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 92.4% $299

Groceries & Markets

Bursa

$242 22.5%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 6.8% $16

Eating Out

Bursa

$171 16%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 30.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Bursa

$115 10.7%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 45.5% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bursa

$103 9.6%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 111% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Bursa

$73 6.8%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 18% $13

Getting Around

Bursa

$45 4.2%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 0.9% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $404 in Bursa versus $830 in Budapest. 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 57% 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 $30.00 in Bursa versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $258 – making Bursa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇷 Bursa

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

16:05 4:05 PM

15:05 3:05 PM

1 h behind Bursa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,238,618

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to TRY – Turkish Lira Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇷 Turkish Lira (₺)

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to TRY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bursa Budapest 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Bursa
Budapest

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

Bursa vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,608 per month in Bursa and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 24% less in Bursa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Bursa and $533 in Budapest. 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 Bursa, where all-in costs run around $1,072, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Bursa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bursa – 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 Bursa. 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.