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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,160 per month in Prague vs $1,721 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,072 per month in Prague vs $2,708 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,983 per month in Prague vs $3,695 in Budapest, rent included.

Prague costs about 26% more than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Prague and Budapest sit above the global median – Prague by 57%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.44 Kč 239

$14.35 Ft 4,551

-20.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 Kč 1,099

$63.4 Ft 20.1K

-17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 Kč 217

$11.23 Ft 3,560

-7.66%

Cappuccino

$3.94 Kč 82.4

$3.40 Ft 1,078

15.88%

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

$2.02 Kč 42.17

$2.14 Ft 680

-5.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 Kč 30.21

$2.03 Ft 644

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 Kč 64.8

$3.74 Ft 1,185

-17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 Kč 68.5

$3.79 Ft 1,202

-13.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 Kč 22.99

$1.23 Ft 389

-10.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 Kč 36.22

$1.91 Ft 605

-9.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 Kč 51.8

$2.58 Ft 819

-3.88%

Eggs

$4.13 Kč 86.3

$4.14 Ft 1,311

-0.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.39 Kč 259

$12.43 Ft 3,942

-0.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.73 Kč 182

$6.90 Ft 2,187

26.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.12 Kč 316

$15.36 Ft 4,869

-1.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 Kč 41.61

$2.07 Ft 657

-3.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 Kč 39.18

$2.17 Ft 689

-13.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 Kč 47.10

$2.49 Ft 791

-9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 Kč 77.7

$4.11 Ft 1,302

-9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 Kč 23.16

$1.03 Ft 328

7.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 Kč 22.96

$1.00 Ft 316

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 Kč 34.95

$1.59 Ft 504

5.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 Kč 18.31

$0.68 Ft 216

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 Kč 168

$8.39 Ft 2,659

-4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 Kč 152

$6.38 Ft 2,022

14.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 Kč 26.30

$1.33 Ft 422

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 Kč 41.93

$2.25 Ft 714

-10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.89 Kč 39.52

$1.58 Ft 500

19.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.01 Kč 376

$28.78 Ft 9,126

-37.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 Kč 61.9

$3.57 Ft 1,132

-17.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 Kč 34.45

$1.43 Ft 454

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.03 Kč 418

$20.58 Ft 6,527

-2.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 Kč 39.93

$1.87 Ft 593

2.14%

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

$32.8K Kč 685.5K

$31.8K Ft 10.1M

3.26%

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

$34.8K Kč 727.1K

$35.9K Ft 11.4M

-3.11%

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

$293 Kč 6,116

$173 Ft 55.0K

68.86%

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

$26.24 Kč 548

$25.97 Ft 8,235

1.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.86 Kč 477

$25.25 Ft 8,006

-9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.6 Kč 1,411

$71.7 Ft 22.7K

-5.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 Kč 386

$19.20 Ft 6,089

-3.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 Kč 285

$9.76 Ft 3,096

39.86%

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

$1,150 Kč 24.0K

$577 Ft 182.9K

99.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K Kč 416.0K

$17.7K Ft 5.6M

12.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 Kč 2,024

$107 Ft 33.9K

-9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.60 Kč 1,036

$44.23 Ft 14.0K

12.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 Kč 2,546

$116 Ft 36.9K

4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 Kč 2,816

$120 Ft 38.2K

11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 Kč 24.4K

$858 Ft 272.2K

35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 Kč 21.1K

$671 Ft 212.8K

50.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,365 Kč 49.4K

$1,672 Ft 530.1K

41.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 Kč 34.6K

$1,295 Ft 410.8K

28.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,895 Kč 206.6K

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

62.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,174 Kč 149.8K

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

72.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,451 Kč 51.2K

$1,709 Ft 541.8K

43.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.66

6.68

-30.24%

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

Last update for Prague: August 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,166 in Prague versus $858 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 43% 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 $53.0 in Prague versus $63.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Prague vs $274 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 26%, 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 $3,240 per month in Prague and $2,581 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 60% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,150 per month in Prague and $577 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 $1,721, than in Prague at $2,160. 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.