Cost of Living Comparison Between Paks and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Paks and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Paks vs $1,451 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,661 per month in Paks vs $2,210 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,174 per month in Paks vs $2,969 in Budapest, rent included.

Paks is about 21% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Paks sits 15% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 Ft 2,571

$11.64 Ft 3,521

-26.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.11 Ft 8,808

$58.5 Ft 17.7K

-50.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.69 Ft 2,023

$8.61 Ft 2,604

-22.30%

Cappuccino

$0.82 Ft 248

$2.83 Ft 857

-71.02%

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

$1.06 Ft 321

$1.81 Ft 547

-41.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 Ft 219

$1.35 Ft 410

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 Ft 338

$2.96 Ft 897

-62.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 397

$2.92 Ft 884

-55.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 Ft 329

$1.27 Ft 385

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Ft 466

$1.66 Ft 504

-7.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 557

$2.04 Ft 618

-9.80%

Eggs

$2.95 Ft 893

$3.16 Ft 955

-6.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 Ft 2,902

$9.88 Ft 2,988

-2.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 Ft 1,688

$6.17 Ft 1,868

-9.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 Ft 3,324

$13.46 Ft 4,072

-18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 614

$1.86 Ft 562

9.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 Ft 591

$1.91 Ft 578

2.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 629

$2.08 Ft 628

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 Ft 1,273

$3.61 Ft 1,092

16.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 Ft 419

$1.14 Ft 344

21.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Ft 391

$1.22 Ft 368

5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 Ft 446

$1.54 Ft 467

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Ft 149

$0.53 Ft 162

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.24 Ft 2,191

$6.88 Ft 2,081

5.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 Ft 2,001

$5.98 Ft 1,808

10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 Ft 344

$1.20 Ft 362

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 363

$1.65 Ft 501

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 354

$1.31 Ft 398

-10.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.58 Ft 7,437

$25.92 Ft 7,843

-5.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 Ft 856

$3.23 Ft 978

-12.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 Ft 388

$1.13 Ft 341

13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.35 Ft 5,250

$18.91 Ft 5,722

-8.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Ft 533

$1.75 Ft 528

0.57%

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

$31.3K Ft 9.5M

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

22.87%

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

$36.2K Ft 11.0M

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

14.49%

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

$145 Ft 43.8K

$145 Ft 44.0K

-0.50%

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

$30.24 Ft 9,149

$26.44 Ft 8,001

14.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 Ft 7,573

$19.87 Ft 6,012

25.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.21 Ft 14.0K

$63.7 Ft 19.3K

-27.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 Ft 5,047

$22.23 Ft 6,724

-24.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 Ft 2,372

$9.09 Ft 2,750

-13.75%

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

$460 Ft 139.3K

0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,756 Ft 2.0M

$12.2K Ft 3.7M

-44.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.6 Ft 26.5K

$87.3 Ft 26.4K

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 Ft 7,909

$42.04 Ft 12.7K

-37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 Ft 28.7K

$97.7 Ft 29.6K

-2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 31.7K

$104 Ft 31.4K

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 Ft 137.3K

$743 Ft 224.8K

-38.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 Ft 103.6K

$543 Ft 164.3K

-36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 Ft 189.9K

$1,353 Ft 409.4K

-53.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 Ft 162.6K

$977 Ft 295.5K

-44.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,305 Ft 999.9K

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

-46.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 Ft 753.9K

$4,404 Ft 1.3M

-43.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,361 Ft 411.7K

$1,800 Ft 544.5K

-24.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

13.80%

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

Last update for Paks: June 8, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $454 in Paks versus $743 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 32% higher in Budapest, 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 $29.00 in Paks versus $59.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $238 – making Paks 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

Paks vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,722 per month in Paks and $2,177 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paks, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Paks. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $460 per month in Paks and $460 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Paks, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Budapest at $1,451. In Paks it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paks – 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 Paks. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.