Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Hamamatsu and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,097 per month in Hamamatsu vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Hamamatsu vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,511 per month in Hamamatsu vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Hamamatsu is about 24% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hamamatsu sits 18% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.93 ¥788

$11.49 Ft 3,520

-57.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.10 ¥6,734

$56.8 Ft 17.4K

-25.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 ¥545

$8.66 Ft 2,653

-60.62%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ¥496

$2.77 Ft 848

11.91%

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

$0.70 ¥113

$1.80 Ft 551

-61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$1.33 Ft 409

-38.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ¥329

$2.81 Ft 862

-26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ¥440

$2.79 Ft 856

-1.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 ¥243

$1.21 Ft 370

25.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥266

$1.74 Ft 532

-4.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 ¥764

$2.08 Ft 639

129.81%

Eggs

$1.76 ¥281

$3.10 Ft 951

-43.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ¥1,585

$9.95 Ft 3,049

-0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 ¥997

$6.33 Ft 1,939

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 ¥2,420

$13.33 Ft 4,085

13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 ¥663

$1.85 Ft 568

123.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ¥327

$1.91 Ft 585

6.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 ¥560

$2.17 Ft 665

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 ¥650

$3.67 Ft 1,124

10.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 ¥531

$1.13 Ft 346

193.81%

Onion (1kg)

$4.39 ¥703

$1.22 Ft 373

259.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥214

$1.55 Ft 474

-13.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥129

$0.53 Ft 163

52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥570

$6.79 Ft 2,082

-47.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 ¥1,525

$5.87 Ft 1,799

62.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ¥280

$1.22 Ft 372

43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥339

$1.73 Ft 530

22.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 ¥171

$1.28 Ft 393

-16.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,011

$26.14 Ft 8,010

115.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 ¥570

$3.26 Ft 999

9.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 ¥475

$1.13 Ft 346

162.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.02 ¥3,522

$19.23 Ft 5,892

14.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥186

$1.75 Ft 536

-33.71%

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

$20.5K ¥3.3M

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

-20.81%

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

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

-54.41%

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

$107 ¥17.1K

$145 Ft 44.5K

-26.30%

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

$9.91 ¥1,584

$26.21 Ft 8,032

-62.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.68 ¥3,308

$20.23 Ft 6,199

2.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 ¥16.9K

$62.1 Ft 19.0K

70.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.96 ¥3,032

$22.11 Ft 6,776

-14.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 ¥2,166

$9.15 Ft 2,804

47.98%

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

$286 ¥45.8K

$454 Ft 139.0K

-36.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ¥2.2M

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

14.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.03 ¥6,723

$84.6 Ft 25.9K

-50.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.32 ¥4,370

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

-34.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 ¥8,840

$95.9 Ft 29.4K

-42.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥16.8K

$107 Ft 32.7K

-1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ¥60.3K

$719 Ft 220.2K

-47.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ¥38.6K

$553 Ft 169.4K

-56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ¥140.9K

$1,356 Ft 415.3K

-35.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.3K

$984 Ft 301.4K

-39.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,856 ¥1.3M

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

30.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,329 ¥852.4K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

19.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,231 ¥196.9K

$1,834 Ft 562.0K

-32.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

0.95

7.03

-86.49%

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

Last update for Hamamatsu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $377 in Hamamatsu versus $719 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, 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 $42.00 in Hamamatsu versus $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Hamamatsu vs $239 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Hamamatsu vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,645 per month in Hamamatsu and $2,175 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hamamatsu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 116% less in Hamamatsu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Hamamatsu and $454 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hamamatsu, where all-in costs run around $1,097, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Hamamatsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hamamatsu – 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 Hamamatsu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.