Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,058 in Cedar Rapids, IA, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

100

Cost of Living Index in Cedar Rapids, IA
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Cedar Rapids, IA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Cedar Rapids, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,058

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cedar Rapids, IA 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 Cedar Rapids, IA and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,058 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $2,058
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $3,080
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $4,101 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA $4,101
Budapest $3,429

Cedar Rapids, IA costs about 27% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cedar Rapids, IA and Budapest sit above the global median – Cedar Rapids, IA by 52%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$13.94 Ft 4,503

8.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 $69.7

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

13.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$10.19 Ft 3,291

6.38%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.26 Ft 1,055

78.22%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$2.14 Ft 690

30.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.78 Ft 577

5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.71 Ft 1,198

24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.77 Ft 1,217

55.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.15 Ft 371

-39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.79 Ft 578

37.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.49 Ft 804

88.76%

Eggs

$2.52 $2.52

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-35.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 $14.10

$11.10 Ft 3,587

27.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$6.62 Ft 2,139

65.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.25 $16.25

$14.69 Ft 4,745

10.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.83 Ft 591

169.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.05 Ft 661

-46.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.37 Ft 765

121.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.90 Ft 1,260

17.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$0.99 Ft 320

161.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.00 Ft 322

122.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.58 Ft 511

27.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.67 Ft 216

232.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 $10.01

$7.96 Ft 2,572

25.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 $10.82

$6.22 Ft 2,009

73.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.27 Ft 411

71.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.03 Ft 654

60.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.52 Ft 490

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 $30.20

$28.02 Ft 9,053

7.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.31 Ft 1,070

5.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.37 Ft 442

34.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.60 $45.60

$19.83 Ft 6,406

129.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.82 Ft 589

-53.30%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

21.28%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-21.40%

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

$208 $208

$171 Ft 55.3K

21.29%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$23.51 Ft 7,596

121.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$23.29 Ft 7,526

201.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

51.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.05 $19.05

$18.89 Ft 6,104

0.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.77 $12.77

$9.30 Ft 3,004

37.31%

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

$893 $893

$533 Ft 172.3K

67.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K $12.8K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-23.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-37.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 $63.5

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

46.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$110 Ft 35.7K

15.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$119 Ft 38.4K

27.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$830 Ft 268.3K

37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 $724

$622 Ft 200.9K

16.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

2.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

2.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,582 $1,582

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-72.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,547 $1,547

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-60.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,682 $3,682

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

122.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

6.45

2.79%

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

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: 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

Cedar Rapids, IA

$724 35.2%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 14% $102

Groceries & Markets

Cedar Rapids, IA

$367 17.9%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 29.8% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cedar Rapids, IA

$330 16%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 33.9% $112

Eating Out

Cedar Rapids, IA

$277 13.5%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 19.4% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Cedar Rapids, IA

$183 8.9%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 8.2% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Cedar Rapids, IA

$128 6.2%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 32.7% $42

Getting Around

Cedar Rapids, IA

$50 2.4%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 11% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,141 in Cedar Rapids, IA 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 123% higher in Cedar Rapids, IA, 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 $70.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cedar Rapids, IA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

13:09 1:09 PM

20:09 8:09 PM

7 h ahead of Cedar Rapids, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,710

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

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).

HUF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Cedar Rapids, IA Budapest 7,960 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Cedar Rapids, IA
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

Cedar Rapids, IA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cedar Rapids, IA is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,087 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA 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 Budapest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $893 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Cedar Rapids, IA at $2,058. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cedar Rapids, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cedar Rapids, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.