Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Esztergom and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Esztergom: $1,293 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Esztergom
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Esztergom Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Esztergom

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,293

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Esztergom vs $1,647 in Budapest, rent included.

Esztergom $1,293
Budapest $1,647

A couple spends around $1,975 per month in Esztergom vs $2,567 in Budapest, rent included.

Esztergom $1,975
Budapest $2,567

A family of three spends $2,657 per month in Esztergom vs $3,488 in Budapest, rent included.

Esztergom $2,657
Budapest $3,488

Esztergom is about 22% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Esztergom sits 4% below the global median, while Budapest is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.34 Ft 4,022

$13.63 Ft 4,443

-9.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 Ft 17.0K

$60.7 Ft 19.8K

-14.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 Ft 3,035

$10.02 Ft 3,266

-7.09%

Cappuccino

$2.54 Ft 827

$3.33 Ft 1,084

-23.72%

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

$1.88 Ft 614

$2.12 Ft 690

-11.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 Ft 389

$1.80 Ft 586

-33.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Ft 976

$3.61 Ft 1,176

-17.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 Ft 892

$3.59 Ft 1,170

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 393

$1.12 Ft 364

8.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 Ft 469

$1.93 Ft 628

-25.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 Ft 787

$2.49 Ft 811

-2.81%

Eggs

$3.07 Ft 1,002

$3.94 Ft 1,286

-22.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 Ft 3,518

$11.28 Ft 3,677

-4.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 Ft 1,983

$6.73 Ft 2,195

-9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Ft 4,364

$14.44 Ft 4,708

-7.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 Ft 765

$1.86 Ft 606

26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 664

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 663

$2.29 Ft 746

-10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.88 Ft 1,264

$3.99 Ft 1,301

-2.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 Ft 385

$0.94 Ft 307

25.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.02 Ft 333

27.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 Ft 576

$1.65 Ft 539

7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Ft 160

$0.68 Ft 222

-27.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.55 Ft 2,460

$7.81 Ft 2,547

-3.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 Ft 1,941

$6.02 Ft 1,963

-1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 Ft 410

$1.29 Ft 421

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 Ft 511

$2.02 Ft 660

-22.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 Ft 404

$1.50 Ft 488

-17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.75 Ft 8,721

$27.13 Ft 8,842

-1.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Ft 973

$3.36 Ft 1,094

-11.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 Ft 487

$1.37 Ft 448

8.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.48 Ft 6,025

$19.96 Ft 6,505

-7.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 Ft 614

$1.86 Ft 608

1.08%

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

$32.1K Ft 10.5M

$28.5K Ft 9.3M

12.47%

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

$35.4K Ft 11.5M

$33.4K Ft 10.9M

6.13%

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

$150 Ft 48.9K

$178 Ft 58.1K

-15.77%

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

$32.97 Ft 10.7K

$23.58 Ft 7,686

39.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.93 Ft 8,779

$24.12 Ft 7,862

11.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.74 Ft 16.2K

$69.7 Ft 22.7K

-28.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.97 Ft 5,856

$17.03 Ft 5,551

5.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 Ft 2,490

$10.48 Ft 3,417

-27.10%

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

$244 Ft 79.6K

$625 Ft 203.8K

-60.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,630 Ft 2.5M

$19.6K Ft 6.4M

-61.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 Ft 28.2K

$102 Ft 33.3K

-15.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 Ft 8,806

$43.41 Ft 14.2K

-37.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 Ft 31.4K

$110 Ft 35.8K

-12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Ft 34.5K

$121 Ft 39.3K

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$528 Ft 172.1K

$845 Ft 275.5K

-37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 Ft 130.5K

$638 Ft 208.1K

-37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 Ft 242.6K

$1,609 Ft 524.4K

-53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 Ft 210.9K

$1,217 Ft 396.7K

-46.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,191 Ft 1.0M

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

-42.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,443 Ft 796.5K

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

-37.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,158 Ft 377.6K

$1,724 Ft 562.1K

-32.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

6.34

30.13%

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

Last update for Esztergom: November 1, 2026

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Esztergom

$400 31%

Budapest

$638 38.8% 59.4% $238

Groceries & Markets

Esztergom

$243 18.8%

Budapest

$260 15.8% 6.8% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Esztergom

$210 16.2%

Budapest

$226 13.7% 7.6% $16

Eating Out

Esztergom

$190 14.7%

Budapest

$220 13.4% 15.8% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Esztergom

$142 11%

Budapest

$169 10.3% 19% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Esztergom

$65 5%

Budapest

$91 5.5% 39.4% $26

Getting Around

Esztergom

$42 3.3%

Budapest

$43 2.6% 2.8% $1.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $528 in Esztergom versus $845 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 49% higher in Budapest. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Esztergom versus $61 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $260 – making Esztergom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Esztergom

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

18:31 6:31 PM

Same time as Esztergom

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,642

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Esztergom vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,939 per month in Esztergom and $2,471 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Esztergom, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $528 there versus $845 in Budapest.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Esztergom and $61 in Budapest. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Budapest, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,293 in Esztergom and $1,647 in Budapest. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Esztergom – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Esztergom. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.