Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pecs and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Pecs: $1,357 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Pecs
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Pecs Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Pecs

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,357

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,357 per month in Pecs vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Pecs $1,357
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $2,072 per month in Pecs vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Pecs $2,072
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $2,786 per month in Pecs vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Pecs $2,786
Budapest $3,429

Pecs is about 16% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Pecs and Budapest sit above the global median – Pecs by 0%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.50 Ft 3,717

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-17.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 Ft 20.0K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 Ft 2,973

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-9.72%

Cappuccino

$2.50 Ft 808

$3.26 Ft 1,055

-23.31%

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

$1.30 Ft 420

$2.14 Ft 690

-39.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 414

$1.78 Ft 577

-28.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 Ft 546

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-54.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 Ft 755

$3.77 Ft 1,217

-37.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Ft 384

$1.15 Ft 371

3.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 Ft 521

$1.79 Ft 578

-10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 Ft 798

$2.49 Ft 804

-0.80%

Eggs

$3.23 Ft 1,044

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-17.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 Ft 3,265

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-8.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 Ft 2,147

$6.62 Ft 2,139

0.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 Ft 5,198

$14.69 Ft 4,745

9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 Ft 794

$1.83 Ft 591

34.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 Ft 742

$2.05 Ft 661

12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 Ft 827

$2.37 Ft 765

8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 Ft 1,300

$3.90 Ft 1,260

3.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 Ft 355

$0.99 Ft 320

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 Ft 439

$1.00 Ft 322

36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 Ft 598

$1.58 Ft 511

17.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 Ft 188

$0.67 Ft 216

-13.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 Ft 2,782

$7.96 Ft 2,572

8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.52 Ft 1,461

$6.22 Ft 2,009

-27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 422

$1.27 Ft 411

2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 Ft 807

$2.03 Ft 654

23.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 Ft 482

$1.52 Ft 490

-1.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 Ft 7,438

$28.02 Ft 9,053

-17.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 Ft 1,102

$3.31 Ft 1,070

3.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 463

$1.37 Ft 442

4.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 Ft 7,833

$19.83 Ft 6,406

22.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 587

$1.82 Ft 589

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

$30.1K Ft 9.7M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

0.97%

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

$36.2K Ft 11.7M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

7.06%

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

$171 Ft 55.4K

$171 Ft 55.3K

0.20%

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

$20.62 Ft 6,662

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-12.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.67 Ft 6,680

$23.29 Ft 7,526

-11.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.20 Ft 15.2K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-30.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 Ft 5,898

$18.89 Ft 6,104

-3.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.62 Ft 2,785

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-7.31%

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

$427 Ft 137.8K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-20.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,588 Ft 2.5M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

-54.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.0 Ft 32.0K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 Ft 16.8K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

19.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 Ft 30.8K

$110 Ft 35.7K

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 Ft 35.5K

$119 Ft 38.4K

-7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 Ft 196.2K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-26.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 Ft 144.3K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-28.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 Ft 317.0K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-38.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 Ft 223.0K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-41.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,322 Ft 1.1M

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-43.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,804 Ft 905.9K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-27.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,071 Ft 345.9K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

-35.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

24.03%

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

Last update for Pecs: 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

Pecs

$447 32.9%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 39.3% $175

Groceries & Markets

Pecs

$260 19.2%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 0.8% $2.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pecs

$213 15.7%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 2.4% $5.2

Eating Out

Pecs

$173 12.8%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 28.8% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Pecs

$160 11.8%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 4.6% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Pecs

$64 4.8%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 33.6% $22

Getting Around

Pecs

$40 2.9%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 11.8% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $607 in Pecs 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 54% 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 $62.0 in Pecs versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Pecs

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

13:33 1:33 PM

Same time as Pecs

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

140,330

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Pecs vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,035 per month in Pecs 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 Pecs, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Pecs. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $427 per month in Pecs and $533 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 Pecs, where all-in costs run around $1,357, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Pecs it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pecs – 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 Pecs. 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.