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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,955 per month in Prague vs $1,463 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,919 per month in Prague vs $2,209 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,882 per month in Prague vs $2,955 in Budapest, rent included.

Prague costs about 34% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Prague and Budapest sit above the global median – Prague by 46%, Budapest by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.26 Kč 217

$11.48 Ft 3,648

-10.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.90 Kč 993

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

-16.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.62 Kč 204

$8.73 Ft 2,775

10.19%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Kč 73.3

$2.85 Ft 906

21.40%

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

$1.85 Kč 39.20

$1.74 Ft 552

6.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 Kč 33.80

$1.31 Ft 416

22.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Kč 61.1

$2.80 Ft 888

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Kč 62.4

$2.93 Ft 932

0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Kč 26.14

$1.27 Ft 403

-3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Kč 32.64

$1.75 Ft 556

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 Kč 53.1

$2.11 Ft 672

18.96%

Eggs

$3.50 Kč 74.2

$3.16 Ft 1,004

10.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 Kč 277

$9.91 Ft 3,148

31.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 Kč 196

$6.32 Ft 2,008

46.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 Kč 279

$13.58 Ft 4,315

-2.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 Kč 41.71

$1.91 Ft 606

3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 Kč 38.23

$2.00 Ft 635

-9.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Kč 47.47

$2.15 Ft 684

4.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 Kč 80.0

$3.59 Ft 1,140

5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 Kč 28.57

$1.12 Ft 357

20.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 Kč 24.43

$1.21 Ft 383

-4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 Kč 34.55

$1.54 Ft 490

5.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 Kč 18.01

$0.55 Ft 173

54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 Kč 155

$6.79 Ft 2,158

7.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 Kč 151

$5.78 Ft 1,837

23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 Kč 22.88

$1.20 Ft 381

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 Kč 45.71

$1.65 Ft 525

30.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 Kč 29.10

$1.27 Ft 404

7.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.66 Kč 543

$25.94 Ft 8,244

-1.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 Kč 50.4

$3.26 Ft 1,035

-26.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 Kč 29.56

$1.12 Ft 356

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 Kč 351

$19.21 Ft 6,105

-13.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 Kč 36.06

$1.76 Ft 560

-3.41%

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

$29.5K Kč 624.7K

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

12.24%

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

$31.4K Kč 664.3K

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

2.29%

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

$311 Kč 6,579

$144 Ft 45.6K

116.36%

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

$26.49 Kč 561

$26.33 Ft 8,367

0.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.52 Kč 456

$20.06 Ft 6,375

7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.1 Kč 1,569

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

17.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 Kč 363

$21.87 Ft 6,949

-21.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.55 Kč 245

$8.90 Ft 2,828

29.78%

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

$890 Kč 18.9K

$450 Ft 143.1K

97.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K Kč 301.9K

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

17.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 Kč 1,809

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

1.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.78 Kč 779

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

-13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 Kč 2,091

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 Kč 2,764

$104 Ft 32.9K

26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Kč 24.3K

$715 Ft 227.2K

60.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$889 Kč 18.8K

$560 Ft 178.0K

58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,294 Kč 48.6K

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 Kč 31.8K

$971 Ft 308.5K

54.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,565 Kč 202.6K

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

57.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,192 Kč 152.3K

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

67.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,349 Kč 49.8K

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

34.17%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Prague versus $715 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 34% 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 $47.00 in Prague versus $56.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $272 in Prague vs $241 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 34%, 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 $2,933 per month in Prague and $2,194 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 1% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $890 per month in Prague and $450 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 $1,463, than in Prague at $1,955. 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.