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 $1,469 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $1,730 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $2,693 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Santiago de Compostela vs $3,657 in Budapest, rent included.

Santiago de Compostela is about 15% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santiago de Compostela and Budapest sit above the global median – Santiago de Compostela by 7%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.75 €11.86

$14.32 Ft 4,486

-3.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 €59.5

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

9.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 €8.67

$11.22 Ft 3,515

-10.34%

Cappuccino

$2.02 €1.74

$3.42 Ft 1,070

-40.94%

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

$2.91 €2.51

$2.17 Ft 680

34.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.89

$2.00 Ft 626

9.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 €2.76

$3.90 Ft 1,222

-17.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 €3.60

$3.81 Ft 1,193

9.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.22 Ft 383

2.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.99 Ft 624

-40.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.54 Ft 794

-46.06%

Eggs

$2.85 €2.46

$4.22 Ft 1,320

-32.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 €7.88

$12.13 Ft 3,800

-24.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 €6.12

$7.06 Ft 2,211

0.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.70 €15.26

$15.32 Ft 4,799

15.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$2.03 Ft 636

2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.22 Ft 695

-3.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 €1.33

$2.44 Ft 765

-36.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 €2.48

$4.05 Ft 1,268

-28.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.03 Ft 323

100.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.05 Ft 330

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.70 Ft 533

-33.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.65 Ft 205

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 €5.31

$8.36 Ft 2,619

-26.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.25 €4.53

$6.36 Ft 1,994

-17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.35 Ft 421

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.09

$2.22 Ft 695

9.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.64 Ft 514

-24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.35 €29.61

$29.37 Ft 9,201

16.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 €4.44

$3.44 Ft 1,078

49.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.43 Ft 448

-4.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 €17.05

$21.27 Ft 6,664

-7.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.93 Ft 605

-11.40%

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

$36.7K €31.6K

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

14.76%

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

$31.1K €26.8K

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

-11.83%

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

$157 €135

$174 Ft 54.6K

-10.26%

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

$22.70 €19.56

$25.65 Ft 8,036

-11.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.34 €29.60

$24.58 Ft 7,700

39.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.3 €45.97

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

-25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.39 €2.06

$19.93 Ft 6,243

-88.01%

Cinema Ticket

$10.59 €9.13

$10.18 Ft 3,188

4.03%

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

$344 €297

$563 Ft 176.4K

-38.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,900 €7,672

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

-48.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.9 €81.0

$110 Ft 34.3K

-14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.2 €57.0

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

45.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €91.9

$119 Ft 37.2K

-10.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 €84.2

$125 Ft 39.1K

-21.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 €651

$846 Ft 265.1K

-10.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 €460

$658 Ft 206.2K

-18.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 €969

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

-32.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$928 €800

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

-28.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 €2,767

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

-45.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,186 €1,884

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

-46.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,983 €1,709

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

14.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.96

6.56

-54.88%

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

Last update for Santiago de Compostela: September 5, 2026

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $756 in Santiago de Compostela versus $846 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 14% 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 $69.0 in Santiago de Compostela versus $63.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Santiago de Compostela vs $274 in Budapest – so Santiago de Compostela 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 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,204 per month in Santiago de Compostela and $2,594 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 17% less in Santiago de Compostela. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $344 per month in Santiago de Compostela and $563 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 $1,469, than in Budapest at $1,730. 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.