Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Hungary Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Hungary

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,686 per month in Spain vs $1,288 in Hungary, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,489 per month in Spain vs $1,982 in Hungary, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Spain vs $2,675 in Hungary, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 31% higher than in Hungary on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Spain sits 23% above the global median, while Hungary is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($959$2,683) than in Hungary ($1,056$1,666), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.13 €14.93
$12.58 Ft 3,974
36.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 €49.86
$57.4 Ft 18.1K
-0.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 €10.11
$9.68 Ft 3,059
19.83%
Cappuccino
$2.40 €2.09
$2.65 Ft 838
-9.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.38
$1.77 Ft 561
54.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.65
$1.36 Ft 430
38.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.57 €3.11
$2.82 Ft 892
26.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 €3.45
$2.79 Ft 882
41.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.09
$1.25 Ft 396
0.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.34
$1.55 Ft 490
-0.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 €1.42
$2.38 Ft 753
-31.51%
Eggs
$3.44 €3.00
$3.55 Ft 1,121
-3.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.56
$10.72 Ft 3,388
34.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.89 €7.75
$6.77 Ft 2,138
31.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.49 €14.37
$15.11 Ft 4,772
9.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.17
$2.05 Ft 648
21.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.85
$2.14 Ft 677
-0.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.94
$2.30 Ft 725
-3.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.22
$3.56 Ft 1,125
-28.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$1.10 Ft 348
64.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.74
$1.29 Ft 409
55.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$1.60 Ft 506
-15.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.66
$0.54 Ft 171
40.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €6.02
$7.71 Ft 2,436
-10.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.98
$5.42 Ft 1,712
5.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.15
$1.25 Ft 396
5.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.86
$2.02 Ft 638
5.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Hungary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.49
$1.41 Ft 445
21.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.14 €30.61
$28.10 Ft 8,878
25.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.66 €4.06
$3.40 Ft 1,075
37.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.35
$1.39 Ft 440
10.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.59 €22.29
$18.83 Ft 5,949
35.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.54
$1.84 Ft 583
-4.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €31.5K
$31.3K Ft 9.9M
15.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K €26.3K
$35.5K Ft 11.2M
-14.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 €135
$162 Ft 51.3K
-4.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.12 €15.78
$27.02 Ft 8,537
-32.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.66 €28.45
$23.54 Ft 7,439
38.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.15 €40.20
$53.0 Ft 16.7K
-12.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65 €13.63
$17.47 Ft 5,521
-10.42%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 €8.72
$9.00 Ft 2,844
11.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 €488
$404 Ft 127.6K
38.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K €9,348
$11.5K Ft 3.6M
-6.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 €75.9
$90.7 Ft 28.7K
-3.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45 €33.49
$37.31 Ft 11.8K
3.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 €80.1
$97.9 Ft 30.9K
-6.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €94.3
$103 Ft 32.6K
4.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Hungary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 €908
$609 Ft 192.6K
70.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$814 €709
$458 Ft 144.7K
77.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 €1,418
$1,038 Ft 328.0K
56.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,246 €1,086
$818 Ft 258.5K
52.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,266 €3,716
$3,909 Ft 1.2M
9.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,607 €2,271
$2,889 Ft 912.6K
-9.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,046 €1,782
$1,340 Ft 423.5K
52.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.29
7.2
-54.31%

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

Last update for Spain: September 14, 2026

Last update for Hungary: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $932 in Spain vs $522 in Hungary. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,567 in Madrid and $860 in Budapest.

Average salary: $2,029 in Spain vs $1,221 in Hungary. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 79% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 11% more in Spain.

Public transport is 19% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 66% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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
Spain vs Hungary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Hungary or Spain?
Hungary is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 34% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hungary or in Spain?
Housing costs more in Spain, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Spain consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Hungary vs Spain?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Hungary, contributing to the overall 34% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hungary and Spain on $2,000 per month?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Hungary, but in Spain it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Hungary or Spain?
Hungary is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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