Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco, CA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $4,319 in San Francisco, CA, rent and utilities included – about $32,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

211

Cost of Living Index in San Francisco, CA
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San Francisco, CA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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San Francisco, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,319

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,319 per month in San Francisco, CA vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

San Francisco, CA $4,319
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $6,503 per month in San Francisco, CA vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

San Francisco, CA $6,503
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $8,686 per month in San Francisco, CA vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

San Francisco, CA $8,686
Budapest $3,489

San Francisco, CA costs about 166% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Francisco, CA and Budapest sit above the global median – San Francisco, CA by 222%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.68 $26.68

$13.99 Ft 4,551

90.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

98.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.77 $14.77

$9.96 Ft 3,241

48.29%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$3.38 Ft 1,100

78.40%

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

$3.24 $3.24

$2.13 Ft 692

52.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.87 Ft 608

41.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$3.75 Ft 1,221

117.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.26 $9.26

$3.57 Ft 1,162

159.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.13 Ft 368

53.10%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$1.84 Ft 599

187.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.39 Ft 777

98.74%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$3.83 Ft 1,245

31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 $16.16

$11.33 Ft 3,686

42.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$6.74 Ft 2,192

132.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.18 $22.18

$14.69 Ft 4,780

50.99%

Apples (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$1.84 Ft 597

231.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.01 Ft 653

41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.36 Ft 767

82.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.77 Ft 1,226

84.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.96 Ft 313

204.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.03 Ft 334

248.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.56 Ft 509

86.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.66 Ft 216

315.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$7.96 Ft 2,591

52.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$6.01 Ft 1,954

145.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.30 Ft 421

150.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.08 Ft 676

75.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.50 Ft 489

97.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.4 $93.4

$27.61 Ft 8,982

238.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.30 Ft 1,074

25.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.30 Ft 424

52.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.24 $38.24

$19.78 Ft 6,436

93.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.81 Ft 591

-13.81%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

26.33%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-23.98%

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

$213 $213

$170 Ft 55.3K

25.20%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$23.98 Ft 7,802

154.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 $75.0

$23.42 Ft 7,621

220.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

80.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$19.18 Ft 6,239

5.01%

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$9.52 Ft 3,098

92.02%

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

$2,918 $2,918

$537 Ft 174.6K

443.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.2K $42.2K

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

153.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 $77.5

$101 Ft 33.0K

-23.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.59 $47.59

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

10.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$113 Ft 36.7K

-11.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$119 Ft 38.6K

17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,807 $3,807

$805 Ft 262.0K

372.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$629 Ft 204.7K

309.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,674 $5,674

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

266.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,552 $4,552

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

290.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,816 $9,816

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

74.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

91.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,881 $6,881

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

323.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.43

5.13%

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

Last update for San Francisco, CA: October 5, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Francisco, CA

$2.6K 60%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 75.6% $2K

Groceries & Markets

San Francisco, CA

$516 12%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 50.1% $258

Eating Out

San Francisco, CA

$413 9.6%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 45.7% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Francisco, CA

$349 8.1%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 37.7% $131

Clothing & Footwear

San Francisco, CA

$164 3.8%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 3% $4.8

Sport & Entertainment

San Francisco, CA

$156 3.6%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 45.4% $71

Getting Around

San Francisco, CA

$119 2.8%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 63.6% $76

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,807 in San Francisco, CA 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 323% higher in San Francisco, CA, 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 $120 in San Francisco, CA versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $516 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Francisco, CA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

05:30 5:30 AM

14:30 2:30 PM

9 h ahead of San Francisco, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

873,965

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

San Francisco, CA Budapest 9,790 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

San Francisco, CA
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

San Francisco, CA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Francisco, CA is pricier by about 166%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,479 per month in San Francisco, CA 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 238% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,918 per month in San Francisco, CA 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 San Francisco, CA at $4,319. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Francisco, CA 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, San Francisco, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.