Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Smith, AR and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

95

Cost of Living Index in Fort Smith, AR
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Fort Smith, AR Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,978

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,978 per month in Fort Smith, AR vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Fort Smith, AR $1,978
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $3,030 per month in Fort Smith, AR vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Fort Smith, AR $3,030
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $4,081 per month in Fort Smith, AR vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Fort Smith, AR $4,081
Budapest $3,429

Fort Smith, AR costs about 22% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fort Smith, AR and Budapest sit above the global median – Fort Smith, AR by 47%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$13.94 Ft 4,503

46.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

6.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$10.19 Ft 3,291

11.38%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$3.26 Ft 1,055

64.11%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$2.14 Ft 690

7.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.78 Ft 577

15.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$3.71 Ft 1,198

65.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.09 $9.09

$3.77 Ft 1,217

141.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.15 Ft 371

-11.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.44 $3.44

$1.79 Ft 578

92.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.49 Ft 804

47.39%

Eggs

$2.97 $2.97

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-23.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 $7.37

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-33.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.94 $10.94

$6.62 Ft 2,139

65.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.62 $19.62

$14.69 Ft 4,745

33.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.83 Ft 591

170.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.05 Ft 661

-30.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.37 Ft 765

8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.99 Ft 320

91.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.00 Ft 322

58.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.58 Ft 511

14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.67 Ft 216

237.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 $8.08

$7.96 Ft 2,572

1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.13 $14.13

$6.22 Ft 2,009

127.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.27 Ft 411

44.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.03 Ft 654

24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.52 Ft 490

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.56 $35.56

$28.02 Ft 9,053

26.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-17.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.37 Ft 442

-6.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 $30.11

$19.83 Ft 6,406

51.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.82 Ft 589

-56.59%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-14.32%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-23.58%

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

$274 $274

$171 Ft 55.3K

60.19%

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

$70.6 $70.6

$23.51 Ft 7,596

200.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$23.29 Ft 7,526

194.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.02 $27.02

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-59.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 $15.73

$18.89 Ft 6,104

-16.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$9.30 Ft 3,004

42.69%

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

$890 $890

$533 Ft 172.3K

66.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

42.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-46.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 $41.60

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-4.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 $93.6

$110 Ft 35.7K

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 $77.1

$119 Ft 38.4K

-35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 $681

$830 Ft 268.3K

-17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 $668

$622 Ft 200.9K

7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,500 $1,500

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-5.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

13.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,547 $1,547

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-73.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-60.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,041 $3,041

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

84.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.45

-1.09%

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

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: 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

Fort Smith, AR

$668 33.8%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 6.9% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Smith, AR

$413 20.9%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 47.3% $195

Groceries & Markets

Fort Smith, AR

$347 17.5%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 25.6% $89

Eating Out

Fort Smith, AR

$328 16.6%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 31.9% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Smith, AR

$119 6%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 40.4% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Smith, AR

$54 2.7%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 60.8% $33

Getting Around

Fort Smith, AR

$50 2.5%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 11.2% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Fort Smith, AR 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 84% higher in Fort Smith, AR, 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 $65.0 in Fort Smith, AR versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $347 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

12:38 12:38 PM

19:38 7:38 PM

7 h ahead of Fort Smith, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,142

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 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

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Between locations

Fort Smith, AR Budapest 8,680 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Fort Smith, AR
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

Fort Smith, AR vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fort Smith, AR is pricier by about 22%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,967 per month in Fort Smith, AR 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 27% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $890 per month in Fort Smith, AR 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 Fort Smith, AR at $1,978. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Smith, AR 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, Fort Smith, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.