Cost of Living Comparison Between Prague and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Prague and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,993 per month in Prague vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,898 per month in Prague vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,803 per month in Prague vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Prague costs about 37% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Prague and Budapest sit above the global median – Prague by 49%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 Kč 218

$11.49 Ft 3,498

-9.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.50 Kč 968

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

-18.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.25 Kč 193

$8.66 Ft 2,636

6.81%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Kč 71.3

$2.77 Ft 842

23.47%

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

$1.83 Kč 38.07

$1.80 Ft 548

1.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 Kč 33.18

$1.33 Ft 406

19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 Kč 58.7

$2.81 Ft 857

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 Kč 63.7

$2.79 Ft 851

9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 Kč 24.97

$1.21 Ft 367

-0.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Kč 32.80

$1.74 Ft 528

-9.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 Kč 51.7

$2.08 Ft 635

19.23%

Eggs

$3.36 Kč 69.9

$3.10 Ft 945

8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.71 Kč 265

$9.95 Ft 3,029

27.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.55 Kč 199

$6.33 Ft 1,926

50.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 Kč 271

$13.33 Ft 4,060

-2.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 Kč 42.87

$1.85 Ft 564

11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 Kč 38.37

$1.91 Ft 581

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Kč 47.46

$2.17 Ft 661

5.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 Kč 80.6

$3.67 Ft 1,117

5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 Kč 29.36

$1.13 Ft 344

24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 Kč 23.90

$1.22 Ft 370

-5.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 Kč 35.26

$1.55 Ft 471

9.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 Kč 16.72

$0.53 Ft 162

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.49 Kč 156

$6.79 Ft 2,068

10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 Kč 150

$5.87 Ft 1,787

22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 Kč 22.65

$1.22 Ft 370

-10.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 Kč 45.66

$1.73 Ft 526

26.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 Kč 29.49

$1.28 Ft 391

10.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.49 Kč 531

$26.14 Ft 7,959

-2.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 Kč 47.69

$3.26 Ft 993

-29.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 Kč 28.80

$1.13 Ft 344

22.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.64 Kč 347

$19.23 Ft 5,855

-13.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 Kč 36.73

$1.75 Ft 532

0.57%

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

$29.6K Kč 616.2K

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

14.30%

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

$31.2K Kč 649.0K

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

1.31%

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

$308 Kč 6,423

$145 Ft 44.2K

112.41%

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

$26.70 Kč 556

$26.21 Ft 7,981

1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.70 Kč 452

$20.23 Ft 6,160

7.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.3 Kč 1,547

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 Kč 357

$22.11 Ft 6,733

-22.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.75 Kč 245

$9.15 Ft 2,787

28.42%

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

$898 Kč 18.7K

$454 Ft 138.1K

97.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K Kč 301.4K

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

19.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 Kč 1,755

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

-0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.19 Kč 775

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

-11.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 Kč 2,029

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 Kč 2,715

$107 Ft 32.5K

22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 Kč 23.7K

$719 Ft 218.8K

58.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$881 Kč 18.4K

$553 Ft 168.3K

59.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 Kč 47.3K

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 Kč 31.8K

$984 Ft 299.5K

55.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.2K Kč 211.9K

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

68.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,573 Kč 157.7K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

69.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,417 Kč 50.3K

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

31.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.84

7.03

-31.15%

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

Last update for Prague: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,139 in Prague versus $719 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 Prague, 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 $46.00 in Prague versus $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $273 in Prague vs $239 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Prague vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Prague is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,989 per month in Prague and $2,175 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 3% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $898 per month in Prague and $454 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 Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,450, than in Prague at $1,993. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Prague 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, Prague makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.