Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marcos, TX and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $2,361 in San Marcos, TX, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

115

Cost of Living Index in San Marcos, TX
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San Marcos, TX Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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San Marcos, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,361

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,361 per month in San Marcos, TX vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

San Marcos, TX $2,361
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $3,510 per month in San Marcos, TX vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

San Marcos, TX $3,510
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $4,658 per month in San Marcos, TX vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

San Marcos, TX $4,658
Budapest $3,429

San Marcos, TX costs about 46% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Marcos, TX and Budapest sit above the global median – San Marcos, TX by 75%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.98 $14.98

$13.94 Ft 4,503

7.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 $60.5

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.19 Ft 3,291

15.80%

Cappuccino

$4.72 $4.72

$3.26 Ft 1,055

44.79%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$2.14 Ft 690

35.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.78 Ft 577

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.71 Ft 1,198

38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 $6.11

$3.77 Ft 1,217

62.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.15 Ft 371

-33.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.79 Ft 578

78.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.49 Ft 804

50.20%

Eggs

$2.77 $2.77

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-28.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-9.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.81 $9.81

$6.62 Ft 2,139

48.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 $12.95

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-11.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$1.83 Ft 591

239.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.05 Ft 661

-44.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$2.37 Ft 765

177.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.90 Ft 1,260

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$0.99 Ft 320

303.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.00 Ft 322

192.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.58 Ft 511

15.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.67 Ft 216

168.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.49 $8.49

$7.96 Ft 2,572

6.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.93 $13.93

$6.22 Ft 2,009

123.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.27 Ft 411

39.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.03 Ft 654

94.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.31 Ft 1,070

38.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.37 Ft 442

32.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.5 $59.5

$19.83 Ft 6,406

200.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.82 Ft 589

-55.49%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

20.96%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

-26.00%

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

$134 $134

$171 Ft 55.3K

-21.68%

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

$40.38 $40.38

$23.51 Ft 7,596

71.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 $55.8

$23.29 Ft 7,526

139.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 $68.9

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

2.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 $11.32

$9.30 Ft 3,004

21.72%

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

$665 $665

$533 Ft 172.3K

24.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

5.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-40.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.15 $38.15

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

-12.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 $83.0

$110 Ft 35.7K

-24.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$119 Ft 38.4K

3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$830 Ft 268.3K

62.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$622 Ft 200.9K

102.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

79.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

88.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 $2,463

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-57.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,874 $1,874

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-51.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,143 $3,143

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

90.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

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

Last update for San Marcos, TX: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Marcos, TX

$1.3K 53.3%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 50.5% $636

Groceries & Markets

San Marcos, TX

$363 15.4%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 29% $105

Eating Out

San Marcos, TX

$268 11.4%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 16.9% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Marcos, TX

$230 9.8%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 5.3% $12

Clothing & Footwear

San Marcos, TX

$136 5.8%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 22.9% $31

Sport & Entertainment

San Marcos, TX

$92 3.9%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 5.9% $5.4

Getting Around

San Marcos, TX

$14 * 0.6%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 224% $31

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,350 in San Marcos, TX versus $830 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 90% higher in San Marcos, TX, 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 $60.0 in San Marcos, TX versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in San Marcos, TX vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Marcos, TX

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

12:39 12:39 PM

19:39 7:39 PM

7 h ahead of San Marcos, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,894

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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 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 →

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Between locations

San Marcos, TX Budapest 9,360 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

San Marcos, TX
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 Marcos, TX vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Marcos, TX is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,541 per month in San Marcos, TX and $2,428 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 $60.0 in San Marcos, TX 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 41% more in San Marcos, TX, 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 $1,619, than in San Marcos, TX at $2,361. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Marcos, TX 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 Marcos, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.