Cost of Living Comparison Between Pecs and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Pecs and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,389 per month in Pecs vs $1,666 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Pecs vs $2,657 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,863 per month in Pecs vs $3,649 in Budapest, rent included.

Pecs is about 17% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Pecs and Budapest sit above the global median – Pecs by 2%, Budapest by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.85 Ft 4,068

$14.41 Ft 4,561

-10.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 Ft 18.3K

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

-8.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 Ft 3,035

$11.21 Ft 3,550

-14.45%

Cappuccino

$2.44 Ft 772

$3.56 Ft 1,126

-31.46%

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

$1.35 Ft 428

$2.16 Ft 683

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 407

$2.01 Ft 635

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 Ft 561

$3.85 Ft 1,217

-54.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 Ft 757

$3.84 Ft 1,214

-37.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 388

$1.25 Ft 395

-1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 Ft 539

$1.87 Ft 592

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 Ft 811

$2.55 Ft 807

0.39%

Eggs

$3.35 Ft 1,060

$4.10 Ft 1,299

-18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 Ft 3,420

$11.93 Ft 3,778

-9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 Ft 2,127

$6.88 Ft 2,177

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.53 Ft 5,232

$15.30 Ft 4,845

8.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 Ft 807

$2.00 Ft 632

27.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 Ft 733

$2.19 Ft 692

5.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Ft 841

$2.52 Ft 798

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 Ft 1,267

$4.14 Ft 1,311

-3.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 370

$1.00 Ft 316

17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 Ft 456

$1.03 Ft 325

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 Ft 611

$1.67 Ft 530

15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 Ft 190

$0.70 Ft 221

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.58 Ft 2,716

$8.18 Ft 2,589

4.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.66 Ft 1,476

$6.31 Ft 1,996

-26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 Ft 450

$1.31 Ft 415

8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 Ft 831

$2.11 Ft 666

24.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 Ft 494

$1.57 Ft 496

-0.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.54 Ft 7,768

$28.14 Ft 8,907

-12.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 Ft 1,120

$3.50 Ft 1,107

1.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 Ft 493

$1.35 Ft 428

15.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.15 Ft 7,961

$20.69 Ft 6,549

21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 Ft 588

$1.94 Ft 614

-4.12%

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

$31.3K Ft 9.9M

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

-0.77%

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

$37.3K Ft 11.8M

$34.6K Ft 11.0M

7.71%

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

$177 Ft 56.0K

$174 Ft 55.1K

1.70%

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

$21.23 Ft 6,721

$25.89 Ft 8,195

-18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 Ft 6,739

$24.46 Ft 7,743

-12.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.82 Ft 15.5K

$70.3 Ft 22.2K

-30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 Ft 5,957

$19.50 Ft 6,173

-3.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 Ft 2,869

$9.59 Ft 3,036

-5.53%

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

$439 Ft 139.1K

$555 Ft 175.7K

-20.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,054 Ft 2.5M

$17.5K Ft 5.5M

-53.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 Ft 32.7K

$105 Ft 33.3K

-1.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 Ft 16.7K

$43.79 Ft 13.9K

20.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Ft 32.0K

$117 Ft 37.2K

-13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 Ft 35.7K

$121 Ft 38.4K

-7.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 Ft 198.7K

$860 Ft 272.2K

-27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 Ft 145.5K

$655 Ft 207.4K

-29.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 Ft 319.8K

$1,690 Ft 535.1K

-40.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 Ft 225.9K

$1,262 Ft 399.5K

-43.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,500 Ft 1.1M

$5,865 Ft 1.9M

-40.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,973 Ft 941.2K

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

-25.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,117 Ft 353.5K

$1,735 Ft 549.1K

-35.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

21.95%

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

Last update for Pecs: September 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $628 in Pecs versus $860 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 55% 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 $58.0 in Pecs versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $271 – making Pecs 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

Pecs vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 20%, 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 $2,083 per month in Pecs and $2,499 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 15% less in Pecs. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $439 per month in Pecs and $555 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 $1,389, than in Budapest at $1,666. 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.