Cost of Living Comparison Between Hungary and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Hungary and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Hungary vs $1,719 in Italy, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Hungary vs $2,625 in Italy, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Hungary vs $3,531 in Italy, rent included.

Hungary is roughly 35% cheaper than Italy on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Hungary sits 16% below the global median, while Italy is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Italy has a wider regional cost range ($1,156$2,452) than Hungary ($891$1,451), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Italy.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.62 Ft 3,516
$17.02 €14.66
-31.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.4 Ft 15.5K
$82.3 €71.0
-37.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.56 Ft 2,591
$11.62 €10.01
-26.33%
Cappuccino
$2.31 Ft 700
$1.91 €1.64
20.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 Ft 480
$3.02 €2.60
-47.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 Ft 358
$1.31 €1.13
-9.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 Ft 714
$5.81 €5.01
-59.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 Ft 888
$5.12 €4.41
-42.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 Ft 350
$1.64 €1.42
-29.27%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 Ft 470
$2.42 €2.09
-35.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 Ft 600
$2.92 €2.52
-32.19%
Eggs
$2.86 Ft 865
$4.12 €3.55
-30.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.63 Ft 2,913
$16.70 €14.39
-42.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.87 Ft 1,777
$12.60 €10.86
-53.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.66 Ft 3,829
$20.61 €17.76
-38.57%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 Ft 534
$2.48 €2.14
-28.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 Ft 567
$2.15 €1.85
-13.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 Ft 598
$2.72 €2.35
-27.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 Ft 948
$3.25 €2.80
-3.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 Ft 336
$1.94 €1.67
-42.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.22 Ft 368
$1.81 €1.56
-32.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 Ft 434
$1.48 €1.27
-3.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Ft 167
$0.54 €0.47
1.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.47 Ft 1,957
$6.82 €5.87
-5.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.08 Ft 1,538
$7.33 €6.32
-30.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 Ft 332
$1.80 €1.55
-38.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 Ft 452
$2.54 €2.19
-40.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Hungary
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.32 Ft 398
$2.01 €1.73
-34.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.79 Ft 7,802
$41.70 €35.93
-38.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 Ft 981
$5.90 €5.09
-45.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 Ft 340
$1.52 €1.31
-26.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.36 Ft 5,857
$34.23 €29.50
-43.44%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 Ft 521
$2.13 €1.83
-19.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K Ft 8.7M
$32.8K €28.3K
-12.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K Ft 9.1M
$33.5K €28.9K
-10.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$150 Ft 45.4K
$226 €194
-33.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.25 Ft 7,941
$13.32 €11.48
97.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.11 Ft 6,083
$31.26 €26.94
-35.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.1 Ft 16.1K
$56.9 €49.02
-6.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.07 Ft 5,468
$25.71 €22.15
-29.72%
Cinema Ticket
$8.64 Ft 2,615
$10.35 €8.92
-16.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$393 Ft 118.9K
$579 €499
-32.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K Ft 3.1M
$10.5K €9,076
-4.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.8 Ft 23.8K
$90.2 €77.7
-12.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.91 Ft 11.2K
$40.79 €35.15
-9.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.3 Ft 27.0K
$98.7 €85.1
-9.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.2 Ft 28.8K
$133 €115
-28.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hungary
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$582 Ft 176.0K
$853 €735
-31.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$453 Ft 137.1K
$667 €575
-32.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$989 Ft 299.2K
$1,517 €1,307
-34.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$755 Ft 228.5K
$1,083 €933
-30.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,812 Ft 1.2M
$3,767 €3,245
1.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,953 Ft 893.4K
$2,403 €2,071
22.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hungary
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,396 Ft 422.4K
$1,986 €1,711
-29.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.35
4.41
66.67%

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

Last update for Hungary: June 7, 2026

Last update for Italy: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $449 in Hungary vs $742 in Italy. For reference, capital cities sit at $743 in Budapest and $1,368 in Rome.

Average salary: $1,249 in Hungary vs $1,931 in Italy. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 65% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 64% more in Italy.

Public transport is 76% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 55% higher in Italy.

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
Hungary vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Hungary or Italy?
Hungary is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 54% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hungary or Italy?
Housing costs more in Italy, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Italy consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Hungary vs Italy?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Hungary, contributing to the overall 54% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hungary and Italy on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Hungary, but in Italy it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Hungary or Italy?
Hungary is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Hungary vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries