Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gloucester, MA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,856 in Gloucester, MA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Gloucester, MA
Learn more

Gloucester, MA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Gloucester, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,856

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,856 per month in Gloucester, MA vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Gloucester, MA $2,856
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $4,139 per month in Gloucester, MA vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Gloucester, MA $4,139
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $5,421 per month in Gloucester, MA vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Gloucester, MA $5,421
Budapest $3,429

Gloucester, MA costs about 76% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gloucester, MA and Budapest sit above the global median – Gloucester, MA by 112%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.46 $21.46

$13.94 Ft 4,503

53.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.2 $74.2

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

21.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 $11.36

$10.19 Ft 3,291

11.48%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$3.26 Ft 1,055

46.63%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.14 Ft 690

21.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.78 Ft 577

-1.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$3.71 Ft 1,198

51.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.77 Ft 1,217

86.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.15 Ft 371

-12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.79 Ft 578

98.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.49 Ft 804

73.90%

Eggs

$4.24 $4.24

$3.90 Ft 1,261

8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 $12.35

$11.10 Ft 3,587

11.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$6.62 Ft 2,139

71.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 $16.80

$14.69 Ft 4,745

14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$1.83 Ft 591

172.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.05 Ft 661

-24.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.37 Ft 765

84.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.90 Ft 1,260

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.99 Ft 320

174.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.00 Ft 322

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.58 Ft 511

33.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.67 Ft 216

231.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.96 Ft 2,572

27.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$6.22 Ft 2,009

145.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.27 Ft 411

73.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.03 Ft 654

89.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.52 Ft 490

34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.50 $30.50

$28.02 Ft 9,053

8.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-7.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.37 Ft 442

35.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.90 $31.90

$19.83 Ft 6,406

60.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.82 Ft 589

-37.91%

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

$33.8K $33.8K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

13.51%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-18.71%

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

$197 $197

$171 Ft 55.3K

15.40%

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

$57.7 $57.7

$23.51 Ft 7,596

145.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$23.29 Ft 7,526

203.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.14 $47.14

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-30.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$14.57 $14.57

$9.30 Ft 3,004

56.67%

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

$1,320 $1,320

$533 Ft 172.3K

147.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K $22.3K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

32.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-45.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.77 $41.77

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-3.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 $147

$110 Ft 35.7K

33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$119 Ft 38.4K

-3.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 $1,700

$830 Ft 268.3K

104.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 $1,521

$622 Ft 200.9K

144.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,027 $3,027

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

89.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 $2,483

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

112.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,398 $2,398

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-58.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,115 $2,115

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-45.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,398 $2,398

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

45.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.45

1.86%

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

Last update for Gloucester, MA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gloucester, MA

$1.5K 53.3%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 59.1% $899

Groceries & Markets

Gloucester, MA

$398 13.9%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 35.2% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gloucester, MA

$326 11.4%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 33.1% $108

Eating Out

Gloucester, MA

$323 11.3%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 30.9% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Gloucester, MA

$161 5.6%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 4.1% $6.6

Sport & Entertainment

Gloucester, MA

$76 2.7%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 12.9% $9.9

Getting Around

Gloucester, MA

$51 1.8%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 13.2% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,700 in Gloucester, MA 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 45% higher in Gloucester, MA, 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 $74.0 in Gloucester, MA versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Gloucester, MA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

03:59 3:59 AM

09:59 9:59 AM

6 h ahead of Gloucester, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

29,729

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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 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

Gloucester, MA Budapest 6,660 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Gloucester, MA
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

Gloucester, MA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Gloucester, MA is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,284 per month in Gloucester, MA 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 9% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,320 per month in Gloucester, MA 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 Gloucester, MA at $2,856. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Gloucester, MA 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, Gloucester, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.