Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Surat: $808 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Surat, India
Budapest, Hungary
Surat
🇮🇳 India
$808
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,647
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $808 per month in Surat vs $1,647 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Surat $808
  • Budapest $1,647

A couple spends around $861 per month in Surat vs $2,567 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Surat $861
  • Budapest $2,567

A family of three spends $914 per month in Surat vs $3,488 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Surat $914
  • Budapest $3,488

Surat is about 51% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Surat sits 40% below the global median, while Budapest is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.10 ₹293
$13.63 Ft 4,397
-77.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.72 ₹1,013
$60.7 Ft 19.6K
-82.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.25 ₹307
$10.02 Ft 3,232
-67.56%
Cappuccino
$1.87 ₹177
$3.33 Ft 1,073
-43.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 ₹30.01
$2.12 Ft 683
-84.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ₹14.06
$1.80 Ft 580
-91.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 ₹296
$3.61 Ft 1,163
-13.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 ₹326
$3.59 Ft 1,157
-3.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 ₹66.9
$1.12 Ft 360
-36.61%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 ₹45.24
$1.93 Ft 621
-75.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 ₹67.7
$2.49 Ft 803
-71.08%
Eggs
$0.96 ₹90.7
$3.94 Ft 1,272
-75.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.45 ₹421
$11.28 Ft 3,638
-60.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.86 ₹270
$6.73 Ft 2,172
-57.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$14.44 Ft 4,659
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₹159
$1.86 Ft 600
-9.68%
Banana (1kg)
$0.63 ₹59.3
$2.04 Ft 657
-69.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.78 ₹74.1
$2.29 Ft 738
-65.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 ₹54.1
$3.99 Ft 1,288
-85.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.38 ₹36.10
$0.94 Ft 303
-59.57%
Onion (1kg)
$0.44 ₹41.52
$1.02 Ft 330
-56.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.50 ₹47.20
$1.65 Ft 533
-69.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 ₹28.07
$0.68 Ft 220
-55.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.11 ₹483
$7.81 Ft 2,521
-34.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.47 ₹707
$6.02 Ft 1,942
24.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 ₹177
$1.29 Ft 417
45.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₹284
$2.02 Ft 653
48.51%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.28 ₹594
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Surat
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ₹20.84
$1.50 Ft 482
-85.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$3.14 ₹297
$27.13 Ft 8,750
-88.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.65 ₹61.1
$3.36 Ft 1,083
-80.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.20 ₹18.90
$1.37 Ft 443
-85.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.08 ₹102
$19.96 Ft 6,437
-94.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 ₹109
$1.86 Ft 602
-38.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.4K ₹1.1M
$28.5K Ft 9.2M
-59.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K ₹1.8M
$33.4K Ft 10.8M
-43.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.48 ₹3,543
$178 Ft 57.5K
-78.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.69 ₹349
$23.58 Ft 7,606
-84.35%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.46 ₹705
$24.12 Ft 7,779
-69.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.93 ₹1,790
$69.7 Ft 22.5K
-72.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.23 ₹495
$17.03 Ft 5,493
-69.29%
Cinema Ticket
$2.99 ₹283
$10.48 Ft 3,381
-71.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$33.96 ₹3,210
$625 Ft 201.6K
-94.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,265 ₹119.6K
$19.6K Ft 6.3M
-93.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.77 ₹2,153
$102 Ft 32.9K
-77.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.28 ₹2,389
$43.41 Ft 14.0K
-41.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.77 ₹3,948
$110 Ft 35.4K
-61.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$32.83 ₹3,103
$121 Ft 38.9K
-72.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Surat
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$207 ₹19.6K
$845 Ft 272.7K
-75.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$490 ₹46.3K
$638 Ft 205.9K
-23.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$392 ₹37.1K
$1,609 Ft 518.9K
-75.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$242 ₹22.8K
$1,217 Ft 392.6K
-80.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$664 ₹62.8K
$5,555 Ft 1.8M
-88.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$370 ₹35.0K
$3,898 Ft 1.3M
-90.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Surat
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$283 ₹26.7K
$1,724 Ft 556.2K
-83.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.17
6.34
44.64%

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

Last update for Surat: November 2, 2026

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Surat
$490
Budapest
$638 30.2% $148
Groceries & Markets
Surat
$102
Budapest
$260 154% $158
Eating Out
Surat
$81
Budapest
$220 170% $139
Clothing & Footwear
Surat
$55
Budapest
$169 207% $114
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Surat
$49
Budapest
$226 365% $177
Sport & Entertainment
Surat
$25
Budapest
$91 264% $66
Getting Around
Surat
$5.7
Budapest
$43 664% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Surat versus $845 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 in Budapest are about 6.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Surat versus $61 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $260 – making Surat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Surat
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
02:46 2:46 AM
22:16 10:16 PM
4 h 30 min behind Surat
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,936,534
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 94.53 INR (100 INR = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.42 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 362 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Surat Budapest 5,590 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Surat
  • 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
Surat vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surat cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 104%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,213 per month in Surat and $2,471 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Surat, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $207 there versus $845 in Budapest.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 88% less in Surat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $34 per month in Surat and $625 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Surat or in Budapest?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Surat, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Budapest at $1,647. In Surat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Surat or Budapest more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Surat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Surat or Budapest?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Surat. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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