Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Joseph, MO and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,485 in Saint Joseph, MO, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Saint Joseph, MO
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Saint Joseph, MO Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Saint Joseph, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,485

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,485 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $1,641 in Budapest, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MO $2,485
Budapest $1,641

A couple spends around $3,629 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $2,562 in Budapest, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MO $3,629
Budapest $2,562

A family of three spends $4,773 per month in Saint Joseph, MO vs $3,483 in Budapest, rent included.

Saint Joseph, MO $4,773
Budapest $3,483

Saint Joseph, MO costs about 51% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Saint Joseph, MO and Budapest sit above the global median – Saint Joseph, MO by 83%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 $20.25

$14.04 Ft 4,536

44.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

-17.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$10.37 Ft 3,351

4.05%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$3.46 Ft 1,117

47.11%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$2.07 Ft 669

3.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.77 Ft 572

-37.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.69 Ft 1,191

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.61 $7.61

$3.80 Ft 1,229

100.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.16 Ft 374

-23.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.85 Ft 598

76.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.40 Ft 776

154.17%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$3.99 Ft 1,289

17.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$11.40 Ft 3,683

2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 $8.39

$6.87 Ft 2,221

22.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.49 Ft 4,682

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.98 $6.98

$1.88 Ft 607

271.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.14 Ft 693

0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.30 Ft 744

152.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$4.04 Ft 1,304

7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.02 Ft 329

235.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$0.99 Ft 320

276.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.58 Ft 510

20.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.70 Ft 225

261.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.74 $8.74

$8.03 Ft 2,594

8.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.28 $17.28

$6.18 Ft 1,997

179.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.24 Ft 401

50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.06 Ft 666

18.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.59 Ft 513

23.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 Ft 8,893

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.43 Ft 1,110

48.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.33 Ft 431

36.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.53 $35.53

$20.45 Ft 6,607

73.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.93 Ft 624

-46.11%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

-5.02%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

-23.98%

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

$147 $147

$175 Ft 56.4K

-15.83%

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

$47.87 $47.87

$23.62 Ft 7,631

102.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$23.60 Ft 7,625

179.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.97 $40.97

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

-40.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$10.31 Ft 3,333

48.30%

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

$812 $812

$535 Ft 172.9K

51.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K $20.8K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

23.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.92 $47.92

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

-52.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.63 $34.63

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

-19.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$112 Ft 36.1K

-20.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$119 Ft 38.4K

-2.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,616 $1,616

$832 Ft 268.8K

94.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$629 Ft 203.3K

104.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

56.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,185 $2,185

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

82.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,569 $1,569

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

-72.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,566 $1,566

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

-60.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,880 $2,880

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

68.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.45

-1.24%

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

Last update for Saint Joseph, MO: October 17, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Joseph, MO

$1.3K 51.9%

Budapest

$629 38.4% 51.2% $660

Groceries & Markets

Saint Joseph, MO

$403 16.2%

Budapest

$262 16% 35.1% $141

Eating Out

Saint Joseph, MO

$308 12.4%

Budapest

$226 13.8% 26.6% $82

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Joseph, MO

$261 10.5%

Budapest

$222 13.5% 15% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Joseph, MO

$130 5.2%

Budapest

$168 10.3% 29.9% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Joseph, MO

$72 2.9%

Budapest

$89 5.5% 25% $18

Getting Around

Saint Joseph, MO

$22 * 0.9%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 99.4% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,616 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $832 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 68% higher in Saint Joseph, MO, 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 $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $403 in Saint Joseph, MO vs $262 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Saint Joseph, MO

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

17:38 5:38 PM

00:38 12:38 AM

7 h ahead of Saint Joseph, MO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,780

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

HUF to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Saint Joseph, MO Budapest 8,320 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint Joseph, MO
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

Saint Joseph, MO vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Joseph, MO is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,727 per month in Saint Joseph, MO and $2,461 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Saint Joseph, MO and $61.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Saint Joseph, MO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Saint Joseph, MO at $2,485. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Joseph, MO 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, Saint Joseph, MO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.