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 $1,710 per month in Hungary vs $2,392 in Spain, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,296 per month in Hungary vs $3,142 in Spain, rent included.

The cost of living in Hungary is roughly 32% lower than in Spain on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Hungary sits 16% below the global median, while Spain is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($1,122$3,254) than in Hungary ($894$1,435), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.61 Ft 3,659
$16.06 €13.91
-27.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.3 Ft 16.2K
$56.9 €49.24
-9.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.38 Ft 2,639
$10.30 €8.92
-18.64%
Cappuccino
$2.41 Ft 759
$2.32 €2.01
3.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 Ft 503
$2.60 €2.26
-38.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 Ft 373
$1.84 €1.59
-35.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 Ft 730
$3.43 €2.97
-32.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 Ft 926
$3.97 €3.44
-25.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 Ft 350
$1.19 €1.03
-6.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 Ft 486
$1.52 €1.32
1.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 Ft 611
$1.67 €1.45
16.17%
Eggs
$2.91 Ft 915
$2.98 €2.58
-2.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.53 Ft 3,004
$14.42 €12.49
-33.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.92 Ft 1,866
$8.59 €7.44
-31.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.41 Ft 3,909
$15.95 €13.81
-22.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.70 Ft 535
$2.51 €2.17
-32.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.88 Ft 593
$2.07 €1.80
-9.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 Ft 626
$2.04 €1.77
-2.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.27 Ft 1,031
$2.64 €2.28
23.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 Ft 366
$1.76 €1.52
-34.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 Ft 401
$1.98 €1.71
-35.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 Ft 436
$1.35 €1.17
2.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Ft 166
$0.74 €0.64
-28.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.44 Ft 2,030
$6.27 €5.43
2.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.97 Ft 1,566
$5.75 €4.98
-13.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 Ft 359
$1.30 €1.13
-12.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 Ft 489
$2.06 €1.78
-24.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Hungary
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.27 Ft 401
$1.77 €1.53
-28.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.79 Ft 8,125
$34.49 €29.87
-25.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.09 Ft 972
$4.49 €3.89
-31.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 Ft 353
$1.32 €1.15
-15.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.67 Ft 5,883
$27.12 €23.48
-31.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 Ft 560
$1.80 €1.56
-1.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.4K Ft 9.0M
$38.2K €33.1K
-25.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.0K Ft 9.5M
$30.8K €26.7K
-2.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$148 Ft 46.6K
$149 €129
-0.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.33 Ft 8,295
$20.14 €17.44
30.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.67 Ft 6,514
$33.50 €29.01
-38.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.7 Ft 16.6K
$46.30 €40.10
13.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.99 Ft 5,669
$15.61 €13.52
15.25%
Cinema Ticket
$8.45 Ft 2,663
$9.40 €8.14
-10.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$384 Ft 120.9K
$522 €452
-26.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K Ft 3.2M
$9,880 €8,556
3.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.7 Ft 25.7K
$88.1 €76.3
-7.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.31 Ft 11.4K
$35.98 €31.16
0.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.5 Ft 27.6K
$89.0 €77.1
-1.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.7 Ft 30.1K
$108 €93.6
-11.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hungary
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$586 Ft 184.5K
$1,039 €900
-43.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 Ft 140.5K
$820 €710
-45.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$970 Ft 305.6K
$1,689 €1,462
-42.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$753 Ft 237.4K
$1,214 €1,051
-37.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,743 Ft 1.2M
$4,301 €3,725
-12.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,851 Ft 898.1K
$2,604 €2,255
9.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hungary
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,369 Ft 431.3K
$1,982 €1,716
-30.92%
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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Spain: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $449 in Hungary vs $898 in Spain. For reference, capital cities sit at $738 in Budapest and $1,561 in Madrid.

Average salary: $1,209 in Hungary vs $1,989 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 20% more in Spain.

Public transport is 32% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 65% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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 88% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hungary or in 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 88% 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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