Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux City, IA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,621 a month against $2,192 in Sioux City, IA, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

106

Cost of Living Index in Sioux City, IA
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Sioux City, IA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Sioux City, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,192

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,192 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Sioux City, IA $2,192
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Sioux City, IA $3,334
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $4,477 per month in Sioux City, IA vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Sioux City, IA $4,477
Budapest $3,489

Sioux City, IA costs about 35% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sioux City, IA and Budapest sit above the global median – Sioux City, IA by 64%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$13.99 Ft 4,554

44.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 $54.2

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

-10.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.45 $10.45

$9.96 Ft 3,244

4.92%

Cappuccino

$6.02 $6.02

$3.38 Ft 1,101

78.11%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$2.13 Ft 693

0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.87 Ft 609

-5.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 $4.98

$3.75 Ft 1,222

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.57 Ft 1,163

65.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.13 Ft 369

-22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.84 Ft 599

61.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.39 Ft 777

35.15%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$3.83 Ft 1,246

-8.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$11.33 Ft 3,688

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$6.74 Ft 2,193

12.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 $16.89

$14.69 Ft 4,783

14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.84 Ft 598

160.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.01 Ft 654

-21.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.36 Ft 767

78.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.77 Ft 1,227

4.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.96 Ft 314

95.83%

Onion (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$1.03 Ft 335

364.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.56 Ft 509

48.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.66 Ft 216

228.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.13 $9.13

$7.96 Ft 2,593

14.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$6.01 Ft 1,955

151.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.30 Ft 422

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.08 Ft 677

42.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.50 Ft 489

23.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.11 $47.11

$27.61 Ft 8,989

70.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.30 Ft 1,075

-39.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.30 Ft 424

-3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 $20.21

$19.78 Ft 6,441

2.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.81 Ft 591

-51.93%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

23.64%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-27.13%

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

$165 $165

$170 Ft 55.3K

-2.92%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$23.98 Ft 7,808

118.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$23.42 Ft 7,627

194.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 $98.8

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

49.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.20 $20.20

$19.18 Ft 6,244

5.32%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$9.52 Ft 3,101

59.35%

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

$1,089 $1,089

$537 Ft 174.8K

102.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

-28.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.23 $43.23

$101 Ft 33.0K

-57.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.84 $21.84

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-49.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.7 $76.7

$113 Ft 36.7K

-31.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 $88.8

$119 Ft 38.7K

-25.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 $947

$805 Ft 262.2K

17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 $945

$629 Ft 204.9K

50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$1,549 Ft 504.5K

-4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 $1,690

$1,167 Ft 380.0K

44.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-72.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 $1,535

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-61.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,593 $3,593

$1,626 Ft 529.4K

120.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.43

2.18%

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

Last update for Sioux City, IA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sioux City, IA

$945 43.2%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 33.4% $316

Groceries & Markets

Sioux City, IA

$344 15.7%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 25.2% $87

Eating Out

Sioux City, IA

$318 14.5%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 29.5% $94

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sioux City, IA

$286 13.1%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 24.1% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Sioux City, IA

$129 5.9%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 34% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Sioux City, IA

$104 4.7%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 63% $65

Getting Around

Sioux City, IA

$63 2.9%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 30.8% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Sioux City, IA versus $805 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 121% higher in Sioux City, IA, 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 $54.0 in Sioux City, IA versus $60.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $344 in Sioux City, IA vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sioux City, IA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

01:49 1:49 AM

08:49 8:49 AM

7 h ahead of Sioux City, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

85,797

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

HUF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Sioux City, IA Budapest 8,170 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Sioux City, IA
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

Sioux City, IA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sioux City, IA is pricier by about 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,288 per month in Sioux City, IA and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 71% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,089 per month in Sioux City, IA and $537 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Sioux City, IA at $2,192. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sioux City, IA 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, Sioux City, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.