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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $1,463 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $2,209 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $2,955 in Budapest, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 57% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lisbon and Budapest sit above the global median – Lisbon by 71%, Budapest by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.18

$11.48 Ft 3,637

41.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.5

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

12.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.04

$8.73 Ft 2,767

18.21%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$2.85 Ft 903

-0.70%

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

$2.29 €2.01

$1.74 Ft 550

31.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.31 Ft 415

20.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$2.80 Ft 886

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.53

$2.93 Ft 929

37.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.96

$1.27 Ft 401

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$1.75 Ft 554

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.11 Ft 670

-16.59%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$3.16 Ft 1,002

0.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.56

$9.91 Ft 3,139

33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.98

$6.32 Ft 2,002

26.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.60

$13.58 Ft 4,303

14.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.91 Ft 604

24.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$2.00 Ft 633

-14.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.15 Ft 682

-6.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$3.59 Ft 1,137

-32.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.12 Ft 356

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.21 Ft 382

67.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$1.54 Ft 488

24.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.55 Ft 173

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$6.79 Ft 2,152

-3.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.89

$5.78 Ft 1,831

-3.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$1.20 Ft 380

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.65 Ft 523

80.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$1.27 Ft 403

79.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.10

$25.94 Ft 8,220

76.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$3.26 Ft 1,032

29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.12 Ft 355

-27.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.15

$19.21 Ft 6,087

-4.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.76 Ft 559

18.18%

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

$34.7K €30.4K

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

31.92%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

27.69%

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

$148 €130

$144 Ft 45.5K

3.12%

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

$20.46 €17.92

$26.33 Ft 8,343

-22.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.64

$20.06 Ft 6,357

97.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €42.03

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

-24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.29

$21.87 Ft 6,929

-14.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.08

$8.90 Ft 2,820

3.60%

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

$616 €540

$450 Ft 142.7K

36.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

35.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €90.0

$84.6 Ft 26.8K

21.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.55

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

-2.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €83.0

$98.2 Ft 31.1K

-3.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$104 Ft 32.8K

17.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,430

$715 Ft 226.6K

128.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,079

$560 Ft 177.5K

119.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,713

$1,339 Ft 424.2K

131.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,779

$971 Ft 307.6K

109.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,858

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

29.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,844

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

2.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,408

$1,751 Ft 554.8K

-8.20%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $715 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 9% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $56.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $241 – 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 57%, 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $2,194 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 77% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $616 per month in Lisbon and $450 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 $1,463, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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.