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 $1,177 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,463 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,886 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,209 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $2,955 in Budapest, rent included.

Setagaya-ku is about 20% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Setagaya-ku sits 12% below the global median, while Budapest is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ¥1,144

$11.48 Ft 3,648

-38.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ¥5,531

$56.4 Ft 17.9K

-39.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥853

$8.73 Ft 2,775

-39.86%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥530

$2.85 Ft 906

14.39%

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

$1.13 ¥184

$1.74 Ft 552

-35.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$1.31 Ft 416

-41.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ¥345

$2.80 Ft 888

-24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥332

$2.93 Ft 932

-30.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥253

$1.27 Ft 403

22.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥280

$1.75 Ft 556

-1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 ¥805

$2.11 Ft 672

134.60%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥258

$3.16 Ft 1,004

-49.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ¥1,610

$9.91 Ft 3,148

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥1,016

$6.32 Ft 2,008

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 ¥2,473

$13.58 Ft 4,315

12.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 ¥969

$1.91 Ft 606

212.04%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ¥504

$2.00 Ft 635

55.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 ¥650

$2.15 Ft 684

86.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 ¥729

$3.59 Ft 1,140

24.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 ¥528

$1.12 Ft 357

190.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥597

$1.21 Ft 383

203.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$1.54 Ft 490

-10.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥134

$0.55 Ft 173

49.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ¥666

$6.79 Ft 2,158

-39.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 ¥1,521

$5.78 Ft 1,837

61.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥298

$1.20 Ft 381

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥348

$1.65 Ft 525

29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥242

$1.27 Ft 404

17.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,142

$25.94 Ft 8,244

116.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥576

$3.26 Ft 1,035

8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥486

$1.12 Ft 356

166.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.45 ¥3,648

$19.21 Ft 6,105

16.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥198

$1.76 Ft 560

-30.68%

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$26.3K Ft 8.4M

-13.27%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$30.7K Ft 9.7M

-40.71%

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

$83.7 ¥13.6K

$144 Ft 45.6K

-41.67%

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

$27.41 ¥4,454

$26.33 Ft 8,367

4.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.46 ¥5,601

$20.06 Ft 6,375

71.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.43 ¥7,871

$63.2 Ft 20.1K

-23.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.61 ¥2,212

$21.87 Ft 6,949

-37.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 ¥2,150

$8.90 Ft 2,828

48.65%

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

$285 ¥46.3K

$450 Ft 143.1K

-36.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$12.1K Ft 3.9M

12.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.41 ¥6,893

$84.6 Ft 26.9K

-49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.10 ¥3,918

$42.60 Ft 13.5K

-43.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.69 ¥7,264

$98.2 Ft 31.2K

-54.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 ¥15.9K

$104 Ft 32.9K

-5.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥75.8K

$715 Ft 227.2K

-34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥53.7K

$560 Ft 178.0K

-41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ¥140.6K

$1,339 Ft 425.4K

-35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥107.9K

$971 Ft 308.5K

-31.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 ¥689.2K

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

-30.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 ¥290.6K

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

-58.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 ¥230.3K

$1,751 Ft 556.4K

-19.06%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Setagaya-ku versus $715 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 24% 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 $34.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $56.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $317 in Setagaya-ku vs $241 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 24%, 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 $1,766 per month in Setagaya-ku and $2,194 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 117% less in Setagaya-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $285 per month in Setagaya-ku and $450 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 $1,177, than in Budapest at $1,463. 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.