Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,188 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,510 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Setagaya-ku is about 18% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Setagaya-ku sits 11% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 ¥1,092

$11.49 Ft 3,520

-40.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.18 ¥5,628

$56.8 Ft 17.4K

-38.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥841

$8.66 Ft 2,653

-39.26%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥522

$2.77 Ft 848

17.69%

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

$1.10 ¥176

$1.80 Ft 551

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$1.33 Ft 409

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.81 Ft 862

-24.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$2.79 Ft 856

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥250

$1.21 Ft 370

28.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥281

$1.74 Ft 532

1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 ¥783

$2.08 Ft 639

135.10%

Eggs

$1.52 ¥243

$3.10 Ft 951

-50.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 ¥1,582

$9.95 Ft 3,049

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 ¥995

$6.33 Ft 1,939

-1.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.46 ¥2,473

$13.33 Ft 4,085

15.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 ¥944

$1.85 Ft 568

218.92%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 ¥486

$1.91 Ft 585

59.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 ¥627

$2.17 Ft 665

80.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 ¥745

$3.67 Ft 1,124

26.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.37 ¥539

$1.13 Ft 346

198.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ¥596

$1.22 Ft 373

205.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥221

$1.55 Ft 474

-10.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥131

$0.53 Ft 163

54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥638

$6.79 Ft 2,082

-41.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.27 ¥1,483

$5.87 Ft 1,799

57.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥279

$1.22 Ft 372

42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$1.73 Ft 530

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥238

$1.28 Ft 393

16.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥8,892

$26.14 Ft 8,010

112.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥567

$3.26 Ft 999

8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥478

$1.13 Ft 346

164.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.35 ¥3,575

$19.23 Ft 5,892

16.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.75 Ft 536

-32.00%

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

$23.3K ¥3.7M

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

-9.83%

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

$18.6K ¥3.0M

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

-39.52%

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

$83.7 ¥13.4K

$145 Ft 44.5K

-42.37%

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

$27.09 ¥4,332

$26.21 Ft 8,032

3.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.07 ¥5,449

$20.23 Ft 6,199

68.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.31 ¥7,888

$62.1 Ft 19.0K

-20.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.92 ¥2,227

$22.11 Ft 6,776

-37.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 ¥2,088

$9.15 Ft 2,804

42.62%

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

$284 ¥45.5K

$454 Ft 139.0K

-37.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.0K ¥2.2M

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

15.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.49 ¥6,637

$84.6 Ft 25.9K

-50.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.15 ¥3,862

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

-42.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.87 ¥7,337

$95.9 Ft 29.4K

-52.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 ¥15.8K

$107 Ft 32.7K

-7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ¥73.7K

$719 Ft 220.2K

-35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥53.4K

$553 Ft 169.4K

-39.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 ¥137.4K

$1,356 Ft 415.3K

-36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥106.9K

$984 Ft 301.4K

-32.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,689 ¥750.1K

$6,041 Ft 1.9M

-22.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,426 ¥388.0K

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-45.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,419 ¥226.9K

$1,834 Ft 562.0K

-22.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

-71.55%

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

Last update for Setagaya-ku: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Setagaya-ku versus $719 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 29% higher in Budapest, 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 $35.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $57.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Setagaya-ku 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

Setagaya-ku vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,782 per month in Setagaya-ku and $2,175 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 113% less in Setagaya-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $284 per month in Setagaya-ku and $454 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setagaya-ku – 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 Setagaya-ku. 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.