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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 52% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Budapest sit above the global median – Lisbon by 65%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.70

$11.49 Ft 3,498

38.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.8

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

13.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.05

$8.66 Ft 2,636

21.36%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.77 Ft 842

3.61%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$1.80 Ft 548

24.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.33 Ft 406

12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.81 Ft 857

24.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.79 Ft 851

39.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.21 Ft 367

-5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$1.74 Ft 528

0.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.08 Ft 635

-15.38%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$3.10 Ft 945

3.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.95 Ft 3,029

35.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$6.33 Ft 1,926

24.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.67

$13.33 Ft 4,060

19.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.85 Ft 564

24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.91 Ft 581

-10.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.17 Ft 661

-7.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$3.67 Ft 1,117

-32.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.13 Ft 344

62.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.22 Ft 370

63.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$1.55 Ft 471

24.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.53 Ft 162

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.69

$6.79 Ft 2,068

-2.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.93

$5.87 Ft 1,787

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.22 Ft 370

12.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.73 Ft 526

71.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.28 Ft 391

85.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.22

$26.14 Ft 7,959

74.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$3.26 Ft 993

31.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.13 Ft 344

-27.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.76

$19.23 Ft 5,855

-4.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.75 Ft 532

17.71%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

32.43%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

27.76%

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

$148 €127

$145 Ft 44.2K

1.85%

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

$20.52 €17.67

$26.21 Ft 7,981

-21.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.10

$20.23 Ft 6,160

95.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.19

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

-22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.29

$22.11 Ft 6,733

-14.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.91

$9.15 Ft 2,787

0.33%

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

$614 €529

$454 Ft 138.1K

35.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

23.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.21

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.9

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

-1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$107 Ft 32.5K

12.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,401

$719 Ft 218.8K

126.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,081

$553 Ft 168.3K

127.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,609

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

123.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,739

$984 Ft 299.5K

105.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,715

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

29.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,678

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-4.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,380

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

-12.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

7.03

-45.80%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon 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 14% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $57.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $239 – 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 52%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon 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 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 74% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $614 per month in Lisbon and $454 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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.