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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,642 per month in Spain vs $1,124 in Hungary, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,392 per month in Spain vs $1,710 in Hungary, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,142 per month in Spain vs $2,296 in Hungary, rent included.

The cost of living in Spain is about 46% 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 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Spain ($1,122$3,254) than in Hungary ($894$1,435), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.06 €13.91
$11.61 Ft 3,659
38.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.9 €49.24
$51.3 Ft 16.2K
10.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.30 €8.92
$8.38 Ft 2,639
22.91%
Cappuccino
$2.32 €2.01
$2.41 Ft 759
-3.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.26
$1.60 Ft 503
62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 €1.59
$1.18 Ft 373
55.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 €2.97
$2.32 Ft 730
47.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.97 €3.44
$2.94 Ft 926
35.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 €1.03
$1.11 Ft 350
7.21%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.32
$1.54 Ft 486
-1.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 €1.45
$1.94 Ft 611
-13.92%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.58
$2.91 Ft 915
2.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.49
$9.53 Ft 3,004
51.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.59 €7.44
$5.92 Ft 1,866
45.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.95 €13.81
$12.41 Ft 3,909
28.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.51 €2.17
$1.70 Ft 535
47.65%
Banana (1kg)
$2.07 €1.80
$1.88 Ft 593
10.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 €1.77
$1.99 Ft 626
2.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.28
$3.27 Ft 1,031
-19.27%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 €1.52
$1.16 Ft 366
51.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 €1.71
$1.27 Ft 401
55.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$1.38 Ft 436
-2.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.64
$0.53 Ft 166
39.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.27 €5.43
$6.44 Ft 2,030
-2.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.75 €4.98
$4.97 Ft 1,566
15.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 €1.13
$1.14 Ft 359
14.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.78
$1.55 Ft 489
32.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Hungary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.77 €1.53
$1.27 Ft 401
39.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.49 €29.87
$25.79 Ft 8,125
33.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.49 €3.89
$3.09 Ft 972
45.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 €1.15
$1.12 Ft 353
17.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.12 €23.48
$18.67 Ft 5,883
45.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.80 €1.56
$1.78 Ft 560
1.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €33.1K
$28.4K Ft 9.0M
34.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K €26.7K
$30.0K Ft 9.5M
2.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 €129
$148 Ft 46.6K
0.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.14 €17.44
$26.33 Ft 8,295
-23.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.50 €29.01
$20.67 Ft 6,514
62.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.30 €40.10
$52.7 Ft 16.6K
-12.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.61 €13.52
$17.99 Ft 5,669
-13.23%
Cinema Ticket
$9.40 €8.14
$8.45 Ft 2,663
11.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$522 €452
$384 Ft 120.9K
36.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,880 €8,556
$10.3K Ft 3.2M
-3.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.1 €76.3
$81.7 Ft 25.7K
7.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.98 €31.16
$36.31 Ft 11.4K
-0.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 €77.1
$87.5 Ft 27.6K
1.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €93.6
$95.7 Ft 30.1K
12.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Hungary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 €900
$586 Ft 184.5K
77.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$820 €710
$446 Ft 140.5K
83.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,462
$970 Ft 305.6K
74.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,214 €1,051
$753 Ft 237.4K
61.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,301 €3,725
$3,743 Ft 1.2M
14.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,604 €2,255
$2,851 Ft 898.1K
-8.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,982 €1,716
$1,369 Ft 431.3K
44.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
7.35
-52.24%

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

Last update for Spain: July 27, 2026

Last update for Hungary: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $898 in Spain vs $449 in Hungary. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,561 in Madrid and $738 in Budapest.

Average salary: $1,989 in Spain vs $1,209 in Hungary. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 100% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 20% more in Spain.

Public transport is 32% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 65% 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 88% 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 88% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hungary and Spain on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 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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