Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,354 in Montgomery, AL, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in Montgomery, AL
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Montgomery, AL Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,354

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,354 per month in Montgomery, AL vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Montgomery, AL $2,354
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $3,197 per month in Montgomery, AL vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Montgomery, AL $3,197
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $4,039 per month in Montgomery, AL vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Montgomery, AL $4,039
Budapest $3,429

Montgomery, AL costs about 45% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montgomery, AL and Budapest sit above the global median – Montgomery, AL by 74%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 $16.11

$13.94 Ft 4,503

15.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 $55.6

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 $10.30

$10.19 Ft 3,291

1.08%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$3.26 Ft 1,055

64.42%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$2.14 Ft 690

22.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.78 Ft 577

16.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.71 Ft 1,198

17.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.77 Ft 1,217

29.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.15 Ft 371

-26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.79 Ft 578

100.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.49 Ft 804

-17.67%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-19.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 $7.96

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-28.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 $7.39

$6.62 Ft 2,139

11.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 $14.27

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-2.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.83 Ft 591

117.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.05 Ft 661

-37.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.37 Ft 765

-17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$3.90 Ft 1,260

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.99 Ft 320

214.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.00 Ft 322

166.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.58 Ft 511

32.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.67 Ft 216

225.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.89 $8.89

$7.96 Ft 2,572

11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$6.22 Ft 2,009

142.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.27 Ft 411

52.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.03 Ft 654

90.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.52 Ft 490

34.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.02 $45.02

$28.02 Ft 9,053

60.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-23.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.37 Ft 442

16.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.54 $25.54

$19.83 Ft 6,406

28.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.82 Ft 589

-50.55%

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

$31.7K $31.7K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

6.49%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-23.26%

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

$309 $309

$171 Ft 55.3K

80.69%

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

$50.7 $50.7

$23.51 Ft 7,596

115.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$23.29 Ft 7,526

211.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.83 $37.83

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-43.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.52 $28.52

$18.89 Ft 6,104

50.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.81 $9.81

$9.30 Ft 3,004

5.48%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$533 Ft 172.3K

158.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K $13.7K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-18.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.94 $48.94

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-50.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 $35.52

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-18.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 $86.2

$110 Ft 35.7K

-21.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 $96.5

$119 Ft 38.4K

-18.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$830 Ft 268.3K

54.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 $1,084

$622 Ft 200.9K

74.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 $1,455

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

24.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,368 $1,368

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-76.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,309 $1,309

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-66.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,632 $3,632

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

119.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.45

1.40%

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

Last update for Montgomery, AL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montgomery, AL

$1.1K 46%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 42.6% $462

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montgomery, AL

$432 18.4%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 49.6% $215

Groceries & Markets

Montgomery, AL

$322 13.7%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 19.8% $64

Eating Out

Montgomery, AL

$274 11.7%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 18.7% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Montgomery, AL

$120 5.1%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 39.4% $47

Getting Around

Montgomery, AL

$64 2.7%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 30.6% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Montgomery, AL

$57 2.4%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 49.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,287 in Montgomery, AL 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 120% higher in Montgomery, AL, 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 $56.0 in Montgomery, AL versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $322 in Montgomery, AL vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Montgomery, AL

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

02:57 2:57 AM

09:57 9:57 AM

7 h ahead of Montgomery, AL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,603

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 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

Montgomery, AL Budapest 8,440 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Montgomery, AL
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

Montgomery, AL vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montgomery, AL is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,531 per month in Montgomery, AL 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 61% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,380 per month in Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL at $2,354. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montgomery, AL 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, Montgomery, AL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.