Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Selfoss and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $3,460 in Selfoss, rent and utilities included – about $22,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Selfoss outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Selfoss

🇮🇸 Iceland

$3,460

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,460 per month in Selfoss vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Selfoss $3,460
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $2,461 per month in Selfoss vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Selfoss $2,461
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $1,462 per month in Selfoss vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Selfoss $1,462
Budapest $3,489

Selfoss costs about 113% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Selfoss and Budapest sit above the global median – Selfoss by 158%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$20.81 ISK 2,538

$9.96 Ft 3,241

108.94%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

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

$2.13 Ft 692

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.20 ISK 1,488

$3.75 Ft 1,221

225.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ISK 219

$1.13 Ft 368

58.41%

White Bread (500g)

$7.61 ISK 928

$1.84 Ft 599

313.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 ISK 544

$2.39 Ft 777

86.61%

Eggs

$6.56 ISK 800

$3.83 Ft 1,245

71.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 ISK 2,103

$11.33 Ft 3,686

52.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.77 ISK 2,655

$6.74 Ft 2,192

223.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$33.50 ISK 4,085

$14.69 Ft 4,780

128.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ISK 332

$1.84 Ft 597

47.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 ISK 335

$2.01 Ft 653

36.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 ISK 324

$2.36 Ft 767

12.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.51 ISK 916

$3.77 Ft 1,226

99.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 ISK 391

$0.96 Ft 313

234.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ISK 266

$1.03 Ft 334

111.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.60 ISK 439

$1.56 Ft 509

130.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ISK 175

$0.66 Ft 216

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.97 ISK 1,947

$7.96 Ft 2,591

100.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ISK 143

$2.08 Ft 676

-43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,820 ISK 343.9K

$629 Ft 204.7K

348.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

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

Last update for Selfoss: October 4, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Groceries & Markets

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Eating Out

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Getting Around

Selfoss

–

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Good to know

🇮🇸 Selfoss

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

06:50 6:50 AM

2 h ahead of Selfoss

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,000

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Icelandic Króna ISK kr

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD

1,000 ISK = 7.31 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to ISK – Icelandic Króna Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇸 Icelandic Króna (kr)

Icelandic Króna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 122 ISK (1,000 ISK = 8.2 USD). 1 EUR = 137 ISK (1,000 ISK = 7.31 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).

USD to ISK in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Selfoss Budapest 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Selfoss
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

Selfoss vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Selfoss is pricier by about 113%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,190 per month in Selfoss and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,460 in Selfoss and $1,621 in Budapest. That's a gap of about 113%.

Groceries cost about 104% more in Selfoss, 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 $1,621, than in Selfoss at $3,460. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Selfoss 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, Selfoss makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.