Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,515 in Chico, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Chico, CA
Learn more

Chico, CA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Chico, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,515 per month in Chico, CA vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Chico, CA $2,515
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $4,036 per month in Chico, CA vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Chico, CA $4,036
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $5,556 per month in Chico, CA vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Chico, CA $5,556
Budapest $3,429

Chico, CA costs about 55% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chico, CA and Budapest sit above the global median – Chico, CA by 86%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.46 $25.46

$13.94 Ft 4,503

82.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$10.19 Ft 3,291

18.25%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$3.26 Ft 1,055

76.99%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.14 Ft 690

22.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.78 Ft 577

27.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 $7.34

$3.71 Ft 1,198

97.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.77 Ft 1,217

118.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.15 Ft 371

-1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.79 Ft 578

67.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.49 Ft 804

40.96%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$3.90 Ft 1,261

24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$11.10 Ft 3,587

0.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$6.62 Ft 2,139

83.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.12 $23.12

$14.69 Ft 4,745

57.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$1.83 Ft 591

196.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.05 Ft 661

14.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.37 Ft 765

60.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.90 Ft 1,260

44.62%

Potato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$0.99 Ft 320

406.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.00 Ft 322

210.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.58 Ft 511

55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.67 Ft 216

282.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$7.96 Ft 2,572

0.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$6.22 Ft 2,009

139.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.27 Ft 411

37.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.03 Ft 654

78.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.52 Ft 490

93.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 $34.74

$28.02 Ft 9,053

23.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.37 Ft 442

75.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.65 $40.65

$19.83 Ft 6,406

104.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.82 Ft 589

-21.98%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

21.83%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-26.86%

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

$185 $185

$171 Ft 55.3K

7.98%

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

$49.40 $49.40

$23.51 Ft 7,596

110.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$23.29 Ft 7,526

191.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.0 $77.0

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

14.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 $13.12

$9.30 Ft 3,004

41.08%

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

$1,837 $1,837

$533 Ft 172.3K

244.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

121.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-48.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.08 $31.08

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$110 Ft 35.7K

-36.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 $98.8

$119 Ft 38.4K

-16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$830 Ft 268.3K

81.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 $1,123

$622 Ft 200.9K

80.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

84.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 $2,590

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

121.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 $3,210

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-44.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 $2,919

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-24.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,832 $3,832

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

132.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

6.45

-2.64%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chico, CA

$1.1K 44.6%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 44.6% $501

Groceries & Markets

Chico, CA

$430 17.1%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 40.1% $172

Eating Out

Chico, CA

$382 15.2%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 41.6% $159

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chico, CA

$302 12%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 27.8% $84

Clothing & Footwear

Chico, CA

$113 4.5%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 48.2% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Chico, CA

$103 4.1%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 16.6% $17

Getting Around

Chico, CA

$62 2.5%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 28.4% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,508 in Chico, CA 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 132% higher in Chico, CA, 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 $50.0 in Chico, CA versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $430 in Chico, CA vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chico, CA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

00:35 12:35 AM

09:35 9:35 AM

9 h ahead of Chico, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,316

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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 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 →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chico, CA Budapest 9,570 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Chico, CA
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

Chico, CA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chico, CA is pricier by about 55%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,773 per month in Chico, CA 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 24% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,837 per month in Chico, CA 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 Chico, CA at $2,515. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chico, CA 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, Chico, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.