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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,644 per month in Spain vs $1,123 in Hungary, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,400 per month in Spain vs $1,702 in Hungary, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,155 per month in Spain vs $2,281 in Hungary, rent included.

Spain costs about 46% more than 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.

Spain has a wider regional cost range ($1,115$3,300) than Hungary ($884$1,438), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.01 €13.70
$11.65 Ft 3,636
37.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0 €50.5
$52.4 Ft 16.3K
12.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.26 €8.79
$8.61 Ft 2,685
19.16%
Cappuccino
$2.29 €1.96
$2.27 Ft 710
0.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.22
$1.58 Ft 493
63.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.55
$1.15 Ft 359
57.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.53 €3.02
$2.26 Ft 706
56.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02 €3.44
$2.85 Ft 890
41.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.06
$1.16 Ft 363
6.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.52 €1.30
$1.54 Ft 480
-1.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.60 €1.37
$1.92 Ft 598
-16.67%
Eggs
$2.98 €2.55
$2.90 Ft 905
2.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.49 €12.41
$9.81 Ft 3,060
47.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 €7.16
$6.01 Ft 1,875
39.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 €13.65
$12.44 Ft 3,882
28.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.18
$1.68 Ft 524
51.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.10 €1.79
$1.87 Ft 583
12.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 €1.76
$2.08 Ft 648
-0.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.64 €2.26
$3.22 Ft 1,005
-18.01%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.58
$1.11 Ft 348
65.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 €1.64
$1.21 Ft 379
57.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.33 €1.14
$1.43 Ft 448
-6.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 €0.68
$0.56 Ft 174
42.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.43 €5.50
$6.43 Ft 2,006
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.82 €4.99
$4.93 Ft 1,539
18.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 €1.06
$1.09 Ft 340
13.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.81
$1.47 Ft 458
43.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Hungary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.32 Ft 413
28.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.64 €29.65
$26.16 Ft 8,163
32.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.60 €3.94
$3.24 Ft 1,011
41.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 €1.15
$1.12 Ft 348
20.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.00 €23.11
$18.73 Ft 5,845
44.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.57
$1.70 Ft 531
8.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K €32.8K
$28.4K Ft 8.9M
34.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K €26.7K
$30.4K Ft 9.5M
2.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 €129
$149 Ft 46.4K
1.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.30 €17.38
$27.00 Ft 8,423
-24.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.21 €28.43
$20.35 Ft 6,349
63.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.38 €40.56
$53.2 Ft 16.6K
-10.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.74 €13.47
$18.24 Ft 5,690
-13.71%
Cinema Ticket
$9.06 €7.76
$8.40 Ft 2,620
7.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$523 €447
$391 Ft 121.9K
33.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,978 €8,541
$10.3K Ft 3.2M
-3.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.7 €75.1
$80.6 Ft 25.2K
8.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.32 €31.94
$37.03 Ft 11.6K
0.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.7 €76.0
$89.9 Ft 28.0K
-1.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 €91.0
$94.0 Ft 29.3K
13.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Hungary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,052 €901
$565 Ft 176.4K
86.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$809 €692
$443 Ft 138.4K
82.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,674 €1,433
$960 Ft 299.6K
74.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,213 €1,038
$767 Ft 239.2K
58.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,487 €3,841
$3,874 Ft 1.2M
15.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,733 €2,339
$2,912 Ft 908.7K
-6.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Hungary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,111 €1,807
$1,352 Ft 421.7K
56.18%
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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Hungary: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $899 in Spain vs $448 in Hungary. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,595 in Madrid and $736 in Budapest.

Average salary: $2,010 in Spain vs $1,231 in Hungary. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 101% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 20% more in Spain.

Public transport is 32% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 63% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

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 90% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hungary or 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 90% 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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