Cost of Living Comparison Between Hungary and Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Hungary and Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,124 per month in Hungary vs $1,642 in Spain, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,706 per month in Hungary vs $2,399 in Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,288 per month in Hungary vs $3,155 in Spain, rent included.

Hungary is roughly 32% cheaper than Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Hungary sits 16% below the global median, while Spain is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Spain has a wider regional cost range ($1,127$3,255) than Hungary ($891$1,451), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.62 Ft 3,516
$15.98 €13.77
-27.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.4 Ft 15.5K
$57.6 €49.63
-10.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.56 Ft 2,591
$10.27 €8.85
-16.65%
Cappuccino
$2.31 Ft 700
$2.38 €2.05
-2.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 Ft 480
$2.58 €2.22
-38.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 Ft 358
$1.83 €1.58
-35.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 Ft 714
$3.54 €3.05
-33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 Ft 888
$4.09 €3.52
-28.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 Ft 350
$1.22 €1.05
-4.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 Ft 470
$1.53 €1.31
1.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.98 Ft 600
$1.60 €1.38
23.75%
Eggs
$2.86 Ft 865
$2.93 €2.53
-2.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.63 Ft 2,913
$14.33 €12.34
-32.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.87 Ft 1,777
$8.31 €7.16
-29.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.66 Ft 3,829
$15.62 €13.46
-18.95%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 Ft 534
$2.53 €2.18
-30.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.87 Ft 567
$1.99 €1.72
-6.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 Ft 598
$2.11 €1.82
-6.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.13 Ft 948
$2.54 €2.19
23.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.11 Ft 336
$1.77 €1.52
-37.29%
Onion (1kg)
$1.22 Ft 368
$1.98 €1.70
-38.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 Ft 434
$1.30 €1.12
10.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 Ft 167
$0.74 €0.64
-25.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.47 Ft 1,957
$6.19 €5.33
4.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.08 Ft 1,538
$5.93 €5.11
-14.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 Ft 332
$1.25 €1.07
-12.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 Ft 452
$2.07 €1.78
-27.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Hungary
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.32 Ft 398
$1.78 €1.53
-25.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.79 Ft 7,802
$34.91 €30.08
-26.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 Ft 981
$4.48 €3.86
-27.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 Ft 340
$1.34 €1.15
-16.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.36 Ft 5,857
$26.24 €22.61
-26.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 Ft 521
$1.76 €1.51
-2.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.6K Ft 8.7M
$38.2K €32.9K
-25.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K Ft 9.1M
$31.6K €27.3K
-4.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$150 Ft 45.4K
$149 €128
0.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.25 Ft 7,941
$20.16 €17.37
30.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.11 Ft 6,083
$34.11 €29.39
-41.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.1 Ft 16.1K
$47.12 €40.60
12.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.07 Ft 5,468
$15.83 €13.64
14.15%
Cinema Ticket
$8.64 Ft 2,615
$9.47 €8.16
-8.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$393 Ft 118.9K
$517 €445
-23.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K Ft 3.1M
$10.2K €8,752
-0.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.8 Ft 23.8K
$87.2 €75.1
-9.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.91 Ft 11.2K
$37.36 €32.19
-1.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.3 Ft 27.0K
$91.3 €78.7
-2.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.2 Ft 28.8K
$106 €91.0
-9.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hungary
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$582 Ft 176.0K
$1,074 €925
-45.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$453 Ft 137.1K
$815 €702
-44.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$989 Ft 299.2K
$1,691 €1,457
-41.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$755 Ft 228.5K
$1,228 €1,058
-38.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,812 Ft 1.2M
$4,338 €3,738
-12.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,953 Ft 893.4K
$2,744 €2,364
7.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,396 Ft 422.4K
$2,031 €1,750
-31.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.35
3.51
109.40%

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

Last update for Hungary: June 7, 2026

Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $449 in Hungary vs $898 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $743 in Budapest and $1,609 in Madrid.

Average salary: $1,249 in Hungary vs $2,011 in Spain. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 100% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 18% more in Spain.

Public transport is 32% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 61% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Hungary or Spain?
Hungary is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 87% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hungary or Spain?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Hungary vs Spain?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Hungary, contributing to the overall 87% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hungary and Spain on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Hungary, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Hungary or Spain?
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.

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