Cost of Living Comparison Between Maia and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Maia and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,235 per month in Maia vs $1,721 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,797 per month in Maia vs $2,708 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,359 per month in Maia vs $3,695 in Budapest, rent included.

Maia costs about 30% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maia and Budapest sit above the global median – Maia by 63%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.03 €11.21

$14.35 Ft 4,473

-9.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.3 €44.10

$63.4 Ft 19.8K

-19.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 €8.14

$11.23 Ft 3,499

-15.76%

Cappuccino

$2.08 €1.79

$3.40 Ft 1,060

-38.82%

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

$2.00 €1.72

$2.14 Ft 668

-6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$2.03 Ft 633

-23.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 €1.95

$3.74 Ft 1,164

-39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.79 Ft 1,181

4.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.23 Ft 382

-3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.91 Ft 594

-8.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 €1.40

$2.58 Ft 805

-36.82%

Eggs

$2.98 €2.57

$4.14 Ft 1,289

-28.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.48 €11.60

$12.43 Ft 3,875

8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 €7.30

$6.90 Ft 2,150

23.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.16 €13.05

$15.36 Ft 4,786

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.07 Ft 646

10.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$2.17 Ft 677

-17.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

$2.49 Ft 778

-12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 €2.11

$4.11 Ft 1,280

-40.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.03 Ft 323

130.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.00 Ft 311

128.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.59 Ft 495

-35.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.68 Ft 212

72.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 €6.15

$8.39 Ft 2,613

-14.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.78 €4.11

$6.38 Ft 1,987

-25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.33 Ft 415

1.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 €2.26

$2.25 Ft 702

16.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.58 Ft 491

66.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.36 €39.89

$28.78 Ft 8,969

61.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.10

$3.57 Ft 1,112

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 €1.32

$1.43 Ft 446

7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.03

$20.58 Ft 6,415

-15.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.87 Ft 583

12.30%

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

$33.5K €28.8K

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

5.23%

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

$39.2K €33.8K

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

9.14%

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

$109 €93.5

$173 Ft 54.1K

-37.32%

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

$20.79 €17.89

$25.97 Ft 8,094

-19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.03 €34.44

$25.25 Ft 7,868

58.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.93 €40.38

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

-34.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.35 €29.56

$19.20 Ft 5,985

78.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.85 €7.62

$9.76 Ft 3,043

-9.32%

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

$456 €392

$577 Ft 179.8K

-20.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,576 €5,659

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

-62.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €102

$107 Ft 33.3K

10.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.22 €19.98

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

-47.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 €67.7

$116 Ft 36.3K

-32.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$120 Ft 37.6K

-10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 €942

$858 Ft 267.5K

27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,389 €1,195

$671 Ft 209.2K

106.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 €1,495

$1,672 Ft 521.0K

3.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 €1,114

$1,295 Ft 403.7K

-0.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,084 €2,654

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

-49.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 €1,501

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

-58.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,457 €1,254

$1,709 Ft 532.5K

-14.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

6.68

-45.51%

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

Last update for Maia: August 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,095 in Maia versus $858 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 17% 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 $51.0 in Maia versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $274 – making Maia 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

Maia vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Maia is pricier by about 30%, 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 $3,353 per month in Maia and $2,581 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 61% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Maia and $577 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 $1,721, than in Maia at $2,235. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maia 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, Maia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.