Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $1,730 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $2,693 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $3,657 in Budapest, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 31% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Budapest sit above the global median – Lisbon by 64%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$14.32 Ft 4,486

22.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

1.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$11.22 Ft 3,515

3.83%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$3.42 Ft 1,070

-4.68%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$2.17 Ft 680

14.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.00 Ft 626

-16.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$3.90 Ft 1,222

-11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$3.81 Ft 1,193

-6.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.22 Ft 383

-3.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$1.99 Ft 624

-2.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.54 Ft 794

-38.58%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$4.22 Ft 1,320

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

$12.13 Ft 3,800

9.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

$7.06 Ft 2,211

19.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

$15.32 Ft 4,799

18.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.03 Ft 636

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

$2.22 Ft 695

-22.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

$2.44 Ft 765

-20.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$4.05 Ft 1,268

-34.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.03 Ft 323

84.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.05 Ft 330

100.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.70 Ft 533

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.65 Ft 205

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$8.36 Ft 2,619

-16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

$6.36 Ft 1,994

-6.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.35 Ft 421

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.22 Ft 695

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$1.64 Ft 514

45.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

$29.37 Ft 9,201

57.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

$3.44 Ft 1,078

21.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.43 Ft 448

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$21.27 Ft 6,664

-18.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.93 Ft 605

16.58%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

7.84%

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

$41.6K €35.9K

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

17.91%

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

$171 €147

$174 Ft 54.6K

-2.04%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$25.65 Ft 8,036

-25.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$24.58 Ft 7,700

39.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

-30.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

$19.93 Ft 6,243

-2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$10.18 Ft 3,188

-0.79%

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

$699 €603

$563 Ft 176.4K

24.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

2.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$110 Ft 34.3K

-4.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

5.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

$119 Ft 37.2K

-14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

$125 Ft 39.1K

2.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$846 Ft 265.1K

96.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$658 Ft 206.2K

86.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

74.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

56.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

37.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

12.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

-6.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

6.56

-42.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon versus $846 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 7% higher in Budapest, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Lisbon versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $274 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 31%, 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 $3,402 per month in Lisbon and $2,594 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 57% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $699 per month in Lisbon and $563 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 $1,730, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.