Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,689 in Lowell, MA, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
Learn more

Lowell, MA Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lowell, MA and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lowell, MA and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Lowell, MA vs $1,641 in Budapest, rent included.

Lowell, MA $2,689
Budapest $1,641

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in Lowell, MA vs $2,562 in Budapest, rent included.

Lowell, MA $4,243
Budapest $2,562

A family of three spends $5,797 per month in Lowell, MA vs $3,483 in Budapest, rent included.

Lowell, MA $5,797
Budapest $3,483

Lowell, MA costs about 64% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Lowell, MA and Budapest sit above the global median – Lowell, MA by 98%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$14.04 Ft 4,536

28.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

13.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$10.37 Ft 3,351

-10.90%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.46 Ft 1,117

41.62%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$2.07 Ft 669

-2.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.77 Ft 572

-6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.69 Ft 1,191

34.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$3.80 Ft 1,229

116.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.16 Ft 374

-30.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.85 Ft 598

15.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$2.40 Ft 776

120.00%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$3.99 Ft 1,289

3.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$11.40 Ft 3,683

-2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$6.87 Ft 2,221

30.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$14.49 Ft 4,682

20.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.88 Ft 607

45.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.14 Ft 693

-42.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$2.30 Ft 744

196.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$4.04 Ft 1,304

36.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.02 Ft 329

63.73%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$0.99 Ft 320

347.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.58 Ft 510

90.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.70 Ft 225

214.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$8.03 Ft 2,594

71.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$6.18 Ft 1,997

117.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.24 Ft 401

40.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.06 Ft 666

103.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.59 Ft 513

13.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 $55.2

$27.52 Ft 8,893

100.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.43 Ft 1,110

17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.33 Ft 431

31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$20.45 Ft 6,607

44.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.93 Ft 624

-56.48%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

-4.97%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

-23.57%

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

$186 $186

$175 Ft 56.4K

6.49%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$23.62 Ft 7,631

118.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$23.60 Ft 7,625

183.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.07 $40.07

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

-41.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 $12.45

$19.26 Ft 6,224

-35.36%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$10.31 Ft 3,333

36.28%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$535 Ft 172.9K

163.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

75.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

-42.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

-12.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$112 Ft 36.1K

-29.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 $70.2

$119 Ft 38.4K

-41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$832 Ft 268.8K

94.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$629 Ft 203.3K

134.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,728 $3,728

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

135.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,116 $3,116

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

160.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,460 $3,460

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

-39.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,536 $3,536

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

-10.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

131.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.45

-5.43%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8%

Budapest

$629 38.4% 57.3% $845

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8%

Budapest

$262 16% 29.2% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3%

Budapest

$222 13.5% 27.1% $83

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7%

Budapest

$226 13.8% 21.2% $61

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1%

Budapest

$168 10.3% 52.6% $58

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 41.5% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5%

Budapest

$89 5.5% 31.3% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,620 in Lowell, MA versus $832 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 131% higher in Lowell, MA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Lowell, MA versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $262 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

01:52 1:52 AM

07:52 7:52 AM

6 h ahead of Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

HUF to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lowell, MA Budapest 6,700 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Lowell, MA
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lowell, MA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lowell, MA is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,033 per month in Lowell, MA and $2,461 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 100% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,410 per month in Lowell, MA and $535 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 $1,641, than in Lowell, MA at $2,689. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lowell, MA 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, Lowell, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.