Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Philadelphia, PA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,860 in Philadelphia, PA, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Philadelphia, PA
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Philadelphia, PA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,860

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,860 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $2,860
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $4,270 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $4,270
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $5,680 per month in Philadelphia, PA vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Philadelphia, PA $5,680
Budapest $3,489

Philadelphia, PA costs about 76% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Philadelphia, PA and Budapest sit above the global median – Philadelphia, PA by 113%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.06 $22.06

$13.99 Ft 4,551

57.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

33.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.69 $12.69

$9.96 Ft 3,241

27.41%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$3.38 Ft 1,100

57.10%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$2.13 Ft 692

41.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.87 Ft 608

22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.75 Ft 1,221

61.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$3.57 Ft 1,162

121.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.13 Ft 368

26.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.84 Ft 599

146.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.39 Ft 777

198.33%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$3.83 Ft 1,245

29.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$11.33 Ft 3,686

5.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.66 $12.66

$6.74 Ft 2,192

87.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$14.69 Ft 4,780

22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$1.84 Ft 597

195.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.01 Ft 653

-19.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.36 Ft 767

120.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.77 Ft 1,226

39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.96 Ft 313

185.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.03 Ft 334

200.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.56 Ft 509

54.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.66 Ft 216

277.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.96 $12.96

$7.96 Ft 2,591

62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$6.01 Ft 1,954

147.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.30 Ft 421

83.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.08 Ft 676

106.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.50 Ft 489

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.4 $99.4

$27.61 Ft 8,982

260.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.30 Ft 1,074

-17.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.30 Ft 424

20.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.39 $24.39

$19.78 Ft 6,436

23.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.81 Ft 591

-36.46%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

25.19%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-23.57%

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

$215 $215

$170 Ft 55.3K

26.50%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$23.98 Ft 7,802

162.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$23.42 Ft 7,621

177.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.3 $83.3

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$93.5 $93.5

$19.18 Ft 6,239

387.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 $15.54

$9.52 Ft 3,098

63.24%

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

$2,192 $2,192

$537 Ft 174.6K

308.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.4K $42.4K

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

155.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.19 $49.19

$101 Ft 33.0K

-51.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 $46.79

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

8.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$113 Ft 36.7K

-8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$119 Ft 38.6K

18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,998 $1,998

$805 Ft 262.0K

148.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$629 Ft 204.7K

107.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,322 $4,322

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

178.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

88.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,022 $4,022

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-28.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 $1,883

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-52.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,530 $4,530

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

178.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.43

2.95%

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

Last update for Philadelphia, PA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Philadelphia, PA

$1.3K 46.1%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 51.9% $678

Groceries & Markets

Philadelphia, PA

$449 15.9%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 42.7% $192

Eating Out

Philadelphia, PA

$346 12.2%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 35.1% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Philadelphia, PA

$343 12.1%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 36.6% $125

Clothing & Footwear

Philadelphia, PA

$153 5.4%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 10.5% $16

Getting Around

Philadelphia, PA

$122 4.3%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 64.3% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Philadelphia, PA

$114 4%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 25.4% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,998 in Philadelphia, PA versus $805 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 179% higher in Philadelphia, PA, 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 Philadelphia, PA versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $449 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

08:28 8:28 AM

14:28 2:28 PM

6 h ahead of Philadelphia, PA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,573,916

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

HUF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Philadelphia, PA Budapest 7,140 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Philadelphia, PA
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

Philadelphia, PA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Philadelphia, PA is pricier by about 76%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,290 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $2,432 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 260% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,192 per month in Philadelphia, PA and $537 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 $1,621, than in Philadelphia, PA at $2,860. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Philadelphia, PA 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, Philadelphia, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.