Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth, NJ and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $3,186 in Elizabeth, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Elizabeth, NJ
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Elizabeth, NJ Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Elizabeth, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,186

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,186 per month in Elizabeth, NJ vs $1,641 in Budapest, rent included.

Elizabeth, NJ $3,186
Budapest $1,641

A couple spends around $4,453 per month in Elizabeth, NJ vs $2,562 in Budapest, rent included.

Elizabeth, NJ $4,453
Budapest $2,562

A family of three spends $5,720 per month in Elizabeth, NJ vs $3,483 in Budapest, rent included.

Elizabeth, NJ $5,720
Budapest $3,483

Elizabeth, NJ costs about 94% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Elizabeth, NJ and Budapest sit above the global median – Elizabeth, NJ by 135%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$14.04 Ft 4,536

40.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

31.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$10.37 Ft 3,351

14.66%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$3.46 Ft 1,117

57.51%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$2.07 Ft 669

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.77 Ft 572

-15.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.78 $7.78

$3.69 Ft 1,191

110.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.15 $7.15

$3.80 Ft 1,229

88.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.16 Ft 374

9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.85 Ft 598

143.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.40 Ft 776

148.33%

Eggs

$6.52 $6.52

$3.99 Ft 1,289

63.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 $15.31

$11.40 Ft 3,683

34.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$6.87 Ft 2,221

72.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.73 $19.73

$14.49 Ft 4,682

36.16%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 $5.95

$1.88 Ft 607

216.49%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.14 Ft 693

65.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.30 Ft 744

82.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.04 Ft 1,304

34.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.02 Ft 329

193.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.99 Ft 320

197.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.58 Ft 510

89.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.70 Ft 225

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.62 $14.62

$8.03 Ft 2,594

82.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$6.18 Ft 1,997

147.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.24 Ft 401

117.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.06 Ft 666

65.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.59 Ft 513

81.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 $76.0

$27.52 Ft 8,893

175.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.43 Ft 1,110

-14.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.33 Ft 431

58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.39 $42.39

$20.45 Ft 6,607

107.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.93 Ft 624

-43.52%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

-4.11%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

-24.28%

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

$247 $247

$175 Ft 56.4K

41.69%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$23.62 Ft 7,631

115.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 $50.1

$23.60 Ft 7,625

112.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 $24.78

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

-64.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

Cinema Ticket

$20.03 $20.03

$10.31 Ft 3,333

94.28%

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

$2,012 $2,012

$535 Ft 172.9K

275.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K $16.2K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-3.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.63 $49.63

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

-50.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.6 $77.6

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

79.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$112 Ft 36.1K

-21.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$119 Ft 38.4K

2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$832 Ft 268.8K

162.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 $1,718

$629 Ft 203.3K

172.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

68.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,492 $2,492

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

108.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,297 $1,297

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

-77.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 $1,143

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

-71.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,997 $3,997

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

133.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.45

3.41%

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

Last update for Elizabeth, NJ: October 18, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Elizabeth, NJ

$1.7K 53.9%

Budapest

$629 38.4% 63.4% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Elizabeth, NJ

$475 14.9%

Budapest

$262 16% 44.9% $213

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Elizabeth, NJ

$348 10.9%

Budapest

$222 13.5% 36.3% $127

Eating Out

Elizabeth, NJ

$328 10.3%

Budapest

$226 13.8% 30.9% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Elizabeth, NJ

$152 4.8%

Budapest

$168 10.3% 11% $17

Getting Around

Elizabeth, NJ

$101 3.2%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 56.4% $57

Sport & Entertainment

Elizabeth, NJ

$65 2%

Budapest

$89 5.5% 38% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $832 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 133% higher in Elizabeth, NJ, 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 $80.0 in Elizabeth, NJ versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $475 vs $262 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Elizabeth, NJ

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

18:06 6:06 PM

00:06 12:06 AM

6 h ahead of Elizabeth, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

126,179

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 →

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Between locations

Elizabeth, NJ Budapest 7,020 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Elizabeth, NJ
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

Elizabeth, NJ vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Elizabeth, NJ is pricier by about 94%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,779 per month in Elizabeth, NJ and $2,461 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 176% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,012 per month in Elizabeth, NJ and $535 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 $1,641, than in Elizabeth, NJ at $3,186. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elizabeth, NJ 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, Elizabeth, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.