Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago de Compostela and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago de Compostela and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,421 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $1,435 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,158 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $2,204 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,895 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $2,972 in Budapest, rent included.

Santiago de Compostela is about 1% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santiago de Compostela and Budapest sit above the global median – Santiago de Compostela by 7%, Budapest by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.12 €12.31

$11.54 Ft 3,651

22.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 €48.45

$58.0 Ft 18.3K

-4.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 €8.75

$8.89 Ft 2,812

12.82%

Cappuccino

$1.88 €1.64

$2.73 Ft 863

-31.14%

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

$2.38 €2.08

$1.71 Ft 541

39.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.28 Ft 405

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 €2.70

$2.93 Ft 927

5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 €3.24

$2.87 Ft 906

29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.21 Ft 382

-4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 €1.05

$1.76 Ft 557

-31.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 €1.45

$2.08 Ft 657

-19.71%

Eggs

$3.11 €2.71

$3.06 Ft 969

1.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 €8.11

$10.19 Ft 3,225

-8.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 €5.53

$6.06 Ft 1,917

4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.41 €15.17

$13.38 Ft 4,233

30.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.92 Ft 608

-2.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 €1.96

$1.90 Ft 600

17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 €1.33

$2.18 Ft 691

-30.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 €2.59

$3.47 Ft 1,098

-14.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 €1.79

$1.12 Ft 354

83.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 €1.27

$1.25 Ft 395

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 €1.00

$1.56 Ft 495

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.58 Ft 183

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 €5.32

$6.81 Ft 2,155

-10.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 €4.36

$6.26 Ft 1,981

-20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.21 Ft 381

23.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 €2.15

$1.67 Ft 529

47.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.33 Ft 420

-10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.55 €30.12

$25.93 Ft 8,205

33.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 €4.00

$3.08 Ft 976

49.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.11 Ft 352

9.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.82 €19.90

$18.67 Ft 5,906

22.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.64

$1.85 Ft 586

2.16%

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

$28.7K €25.0K

$25.4K Ft 8.1M

12.80%

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

$30.7K €26.8K

$31.5K Ft 10.0M

-2.32%

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

$165 €144

$148 Ft 46.8K

11.64%

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

$21.26 €18.54

$25.98 Ft 8,220

-18.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.93 €28.71

$20.22 Ft 6,398

62.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.56 €37.11

$63.0 Ft 19.9K

-32.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.26 €1.97

$22.23 Ft 7,034

-89.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 €8.77

$8.90 Ft 2,815

13.15%

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

$347 €303

$464 Ft 146.8K

-25.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,072 €7,037

$12.4K Ft 3.9M

-34.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.9 €67.9

$85.1 Ft 26.9K

-8.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 €28.02

$43.25 Ft 13.7K

-25.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 €75.8

$95.6 Ft 30.2K

-9.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 €83.8

$104 Ft 32.9K

-7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 €638

$738 Ft 233.5K

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 €448

$559 Ft 176.7K

-8.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 €900

$1,337 Ft 423.0K

-22.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 €743

$965 Ft 305.4K

-11.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,142 €2,739

$5,941 Ft 1.9M

-47.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,182 €1,902

$4,265 Ft 1.3M

-48.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,874 €1,634

$1,732 Ft 547.9K

8.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

7.03

-52.63%

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

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: July 25, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Santiago de Compostela versus $738 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 8% higher in Santiago de Compostela, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Santiago de Compostela versus $58.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Santiago de Compostela vs $239 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

Santiago de Compostela vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 1%, 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 $2,131 per month in Santiago de Compostela and $2,152 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santiago de Compostela, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Santiago de Compostela. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $347 per month in Santiago de Compostela and $464 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santiago de Compostela, where all-in costs run around $1,421, than in Budapest at $1,435. In Santiago de Compostela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santiago de Compostela – 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 Santiago de Compostela. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.