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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,407 per month in Maia vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,840 per month in Maia vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Maia vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Maia costs about 66% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Maia and Budapest sit above the global median – Maia by 80%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.41 €9.90

$11.49 Ft 3,537

-0.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.38 €39.36

$56.8 Ft 17.5K

-20.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 €7.82

$8.66 Ft 2,665

4.04%

Cappuccino

$2.09 €1.81

$2.77 Ft 852

-24.55%

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

$1.98 €1.72

$1.80 Ft 554

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.33 Ft 411

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 €2.03

$2.81 Ft 866

-16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.92

$2.79 Ft 860

20.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 €0.96

$1.21 Ft 371

-8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.74 Ft 534

-17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.08 Ft 642

-17.31%

Eggs

$3.02 €2.62

$3.10 Ft 956

-2.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.42 €9.91

$9.95 Ft 3,063

14.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 €6.44

$6.33 Ft 1,948

17.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 €12.05

$13.33 Ft 4,104

4.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €1.96

$1.85 Ft 571

22.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.91 Ft 587

-18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 €1.69

$2.17 Ft 668

-10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.05

$3.67 Ft 1,129

-35.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 €1.43

$1.13 Ft 347

46.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 €1.59

$1.22 Ft 374

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.55 Ft 476

-3.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.53 Ft 164

60.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.15 €5.33

$6.79 Ft 2,091

-9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 €5.06

$5.87 Ft 1,807

-0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.22 Ft 374

-5.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.73 Ft 532

32.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.61 €2.26

$1.28 Ft 395

103.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.49 €39.46

$26.14 Ft 8,047

74.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 €3.56

$3.26 Ft 1,004

25.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.65

$1.13 Ft 347

-33.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.72 €12.77

$19.23 Ft 5,920

-23.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 €1.68

$1.75 Ft 538

10.29%

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

$34.1K €29.6K

$25.9K Ft 8.0M

31.67%

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

$39.9K €34.6K

$30.8K Ft 9.5M

29.78%

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

$138 €120

$145 Ft 44.7K

-4.80%

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

$22.20 €19.26

$26.21 Ft 8,069

-15.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.26 €34.06

$20.23 Ft 6,227

94.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.77 €40.58

$62.1 Ft 19.1K

-24.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.33 €30.65

$22.11 Ft 6,807

59.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 €7.72

$9.15 Ft 2,817

-2.73%

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

$287 €249

$454 Ft 139.7K

-36.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,256 €7,162

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

-31.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 €63.7

$84.6 Ft 26.0K

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.24 €29.70

$41.84 Ft 12.9K

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 €80.6

$95.9 Ft 29.5K

-3.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €95.4

$107 Ft 32.8K

3.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 €965

$719 Ft 221.2K

54.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,507 €1,307

$553 Ft 170.2K

172.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 €1,530

$1,356 Ft 417.3K

30.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 €1,088

$984 Ft 302.8K

27.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,164 €2,745

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

-47.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 €1,487

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-61.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 €1,287

$1,834 Ft 564.6K

-19.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

7.03

-22.76%

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

Last update for Maia: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Maia 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 24% 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 $45.00 in Maia versus $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Maia vs $239 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 66%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,610 per month in Maia 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 $287 per month in Maia 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 Maia at $2,407. 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.