Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Cheonan and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,274 per month in Cheonan vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,957 per month in Cheonan vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,640 per month in Cheonan vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Cheonan is about 12% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cheonan sits 5% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.71 ₩8,745

$11.49 Ft 3,520

-50.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 ₩33.7K

$56.8 Ft 17.4K

-61.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₩7,420

$8.66 Ft 2,653

-44.11%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₩3,283

$2.77 Ft 848

-22.74%

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

$1.20 ₩1,845

$1.80 Ft 551

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₩735

$1.33 Ft 409

-63.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ₩3,900

$2.81 Ft 862

-9.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ₩5,696

$2.79 Ft 856

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₩2,295

$1.21 Ft 370

23.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 ₩5,387

$1.74 Ft 532

102.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,644

$2.08 Ft 639

45.67%

Eggs

$1.73 ₩2,647

$3.10 Ft 951

-44.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.2K

$9.95 Ft 3,049

6.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 ₩12.8K

$6.33 Ft 1,939

31.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 ₩18.3K

$13.33 Ft 4,085

-10.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 ₩11.2K

$1.85 Ft 568

296.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,825

$1.91 Ft 585

30.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 ₩8,541

$2.17 Ft 665

156.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 ₩8,144

$3.67 Ft 1,124

44.69%

Potato (1kg)

$4.99 ₩7,651

$1.13 Ft 346

341.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,527

$1.22 Ft 373

141.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ₩1,411

$1.55 Ft 474

-40.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 ₩1,619

$0.53 Ft 163

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩5,034

$6.79 Ft 2,082

-51.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.68 ₩25.6K

$5.87 Ft 1,799

184.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₩2,709

$1.22 Ft 372

45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,296

$1.73 Ft 530

-13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,712

$1.28 Ft 393

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 8,010

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₩4,528

$3.26 Ft 999

-9.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,289

$1.13 Ft 346

-25.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.77 ₩25.7K

$19.23 Ft 5,892

-12.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,780

$1.75 Ft 536

-33.71%

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

$27.8K ₩42.5M

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

7.28%

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

$25.3K ₩38.7M

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

-17.82%

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

$141 ₩215.5K

$145 Ft 44.5K

-3.13%

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

$50.6 ₩77.5K

$26.21 Ft 8,032

93.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.97 ₩15.3K

$20.23 Ft 6,199

-50.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.28 ₩74.0K

$62.1 Ft 19.0K

-22.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,776

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 ₩11.6K

$9.15 Ft 2,804

-17.27%

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

$492 ₩754.0K

$454 Ft 139.0K

8.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩21.6M

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

16.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₩156.0K

$84.6 Ft 25.9K

20.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.01 ₩73.6K

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ₩113.7K

$95.9 Ft 29.4K

-22.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩168.5K

$107 Ft 32.7K

3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 ₩693.8K

$719 Ft 220.2K

-37.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩578.7K

$553 Ft 169.4K

-31.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 ₩1.6M

$1,356 Ft 415.3K

-20.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₩1.2M

$984 Ft 301.4K

-21.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,773 ₩15.0M

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

61.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,779 ₩8.9M

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

29.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,579 ₩2.4M

$1,834 Ft 562.0K

-13.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

7.03

-39.97%

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

Last update for Cheonan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Cheonan versus $719 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 16% 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 $22.00 in Cheonan versus $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $362 in Cheonan vs $239 in Budapest – so Budapest 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

Cheonan vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,910 per month in Cheonan and $2,175 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cheonan, 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 $22.00 in Cheonan and $57.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 51% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cheonan, where all-in costs run around $1,274, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Cheonan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheonan – 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 Cheonan. 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.