Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester, NH and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,859 in Manchester, NH, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

139

Cost of Living Index in Manchester, NH
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Manchester, NH Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Manchester, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,859

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester, NH 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 Manchester, NH and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,859 per month in Manchester, NH vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Manchester, NH $2,859
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $4,150 per month in Manchester, NH vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Manchester, NH $4,150
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $5,440 per month in Manchester, NH vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Manchester, NH $5,440
Budapest $3,429

Manchester, NH costs about 77% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manchester, NH and Budapest sit above the global median – Manchester, NH by 112%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.99 $26.99

$13.94 Ft 4,503

93.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

30.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 $10.81

$10.19 Ft 3,291

6.08%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$3.26 Ft 1,055

68.71%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$2.14 Ft 690

14.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.78 Ft 577

11.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.71 Ft 1,198

57.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.77 Ft 1,217

80.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.15 Ft 371

-12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.79 Ft 578

60.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$2.49 Ft 804

88.76%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$3.90 Ft 1,261

23.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$6.62 Ft 2,139

65.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.83 $19.83

$14.69 Ft 4,745

34.99%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$1.83 Ft 591

218.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.05 Ft 661

16.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.37 Ft 765

88.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.90 Ft 1,260

53.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.99 Ft 320

147.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.00 Ft 322

220.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.58 Ft 511

32.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.67 Ft 216

244.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.06 $10.06

$7.96 Ft 2,572

26.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$6.22 Ft 2,009

139.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.27 Ft 411

46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.03 Ft 654

145.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.52 Ft 490

29.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.1 $61.1

$28.02 Ft 9,053

117.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 $3.13

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-5.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.37 Ft 442

32.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.37 $30.37

$19.83 Ft 6,406

53.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.82 Ft 589

-48.35%

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

$34.1K $34.1K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

14.35%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-17.47%

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

$235 $235

$171 Ft 55.3K

37.49%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$23.51 Ft 7,596

168.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$23.29 Ft 7,526

202.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.30 $42.30

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-37.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.65 $40.65

$18.89 Ft 6,104

115.19%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 $11.61

$9.30 Ft 3,004

24.84%

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

$1,465 $1,465

$533 Ft 172.3K

174.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

37.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.50 $43.50

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-56.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 $44.13

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 $91.0

$110 Ft 35.7K

-17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$119 Ft 38.4K

-4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,689 $1,689

$830 Ft 268.3K

103.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

$622 Ft 200.9K

129.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,500 $2,500

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

56.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

92.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,904 $2,904

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-50.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,015 $3,015

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-22.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,186 $4,186

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

153.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.45

-3.72%

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

Last update for Manchester, NH: October 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Manchester, NH

$1.4K 49.9%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 56.4% $804

Groceries & Markets

Manchester, NH

$411 14.4%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 37.3% $153

Eating Out

Manchester, NH

$375 13.1%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 40.5% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manchester, NH

$369 12.9%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 40.9% $151

Clothing & Footwear

Manchester, NH

$131 4.6%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 27.6% $36

Getting Around

Manchester, NH

$81 2.8%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 45.5% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Manchester, NH

$66 2.3%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 31.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,689 in Manchester, NH versus $830 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 154% higher in Manchester, NH, 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 $80.0 in Manchester, NH versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Manchester, NH

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

15:14 3:14 PM

21:14 9:14 PM

6 h ahead of Manchester, NH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,497

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 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 →

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Between locations

Manchester, NH Budapest 6,680 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Manchester, NH
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

Manchester, NH vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Manchester, NH is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,289 per month in Manchester, NH and $2,428 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 118% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,465 per month in Manchester, NH and $533 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 $1,619, than in Manchester, NH at $2,859. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manchester, NH 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, Manchester, NH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.