Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Szeged vs $1,730 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Szeged vs $2,693 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Szeged vs $3,657 in Budapest, rent included.

Szeged is about 25% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Szeged sits 6% below the global median, while Budapest is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 Ft 3,196

$14.32 Ft 4,486

-28.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 Ft 19.3K

$63.2 Ft 19.8K

-2.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 Ft 2,919

$11.22 Ft 3,515

-16.93%

Cappuccino

$2.44 Ft 765

$3.42 Ft 1,070

-28.65%

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

$1.58 Ft 496

$2.17 Ft 680

-27.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 Ft 413

$2.00 Ft 626

-34.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 Ft 705

$3.90 Ft 1,222

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 Ft 735

$3.81 Ft 1,193

-38.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 382

$1.22 Ft 383

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 Ft 466

$1.99 Ft 624

-25.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 Ft 857

$2.54 Ft 794

7.87%

Eggs

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$4.22 Ft 1,320

-9.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 Ft 3,272

$12.13 Ft 3,800

-13.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 Ft 2,171

$7.06 Ft 2,211

-1.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 Ft 5,135

$15.32 Ft 4,799

6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Ft 756

$2.03 Ft 636

18.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 742

$2.22 Ft 695

6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 Ft 671

$2.44 Ft 765

-12.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 Ft 1,108

$4.05 Ft 1,268

-12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 Ft 343

$1.03 Ft 323

5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 372

$1.05 Ft 330

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 Ft 510

$1.70 Ft 533

-4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 177

$0.65 Ft 205

-12.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 Ft 2,556

$8.36 Ft 2,619

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 Ft 1,578

$6.36 Ft 1,994

-20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 412

$1.35 Ft 421

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 Ft 649

$2.22 Ft 695

-6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 Ft 566

$1.64 Ft 514

10.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 Ft 9,806

$29.37 Ft 9,201

6.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 964

$3.44 Ft 1,078

-10.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 Ft 538

$1.43 Ft 448

20.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.92 Ft 5,925

$21.27 Ft 6,664

-11.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 609

$1.93 Ft 605

0.52%

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

$28.3K Ft 8.9M

$32.0K Ft 10.0M

-11.56%

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

$39.4K Ft 12.3M

$35.3K Ft 11.1M

11.49%

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

$136 Ft 42.7K

$174 Ft 54.6K

-21.84%

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

$23.24 Ft 7,280

$25.65 Ft 8,036

-9.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.60 Ft 6,453

$24.58 Ft 7,700

-16.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 Ft 15.4K

$71.2 Ft 22.3K

-31.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.29 Ft 9,803

$19.93 Ft 6,243

57.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.55 Ft 2,679

$10.18 Ft 3,188

-16.01%

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

$259 Ft 81.3K

$563 Ft 176.4K

-53.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,070 Ft 2.2M

$17.3K Ft 5.4M

-59.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 Ft 33.8K

$110 Ft 34.3K

-1.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 Ft 11.0K

$45.47 Ft 14.2K

-22.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

$119 Ft 37.2K

-20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 Ft 41.0K

$125 Ft 39.1K

5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 Ft 167.1K

$846 Ft 265.1K

-36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 Ft 121.3K

$658 Ft 206.2K

-41.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$791 Ft 247.9K

$1,673 Ft 524.0K

-52.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 Ft 198.9K

$1,292 Ft 404.8K

-50.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

$5,932 Ft 1.9M

-44.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 Ft 752.7K

$4,104 Ft 1.3M

-41.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,348 Ft 422.3K

$1,734 Ft 543.0K

-22.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

6.56

1.68%

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

Last update for Szeged: September 7, 2026

Last update for Budapest: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Szeged versus $846 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 29% higher in Budapest, 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 $62.0 in Szeged versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $274 – making Szeged the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Szeged vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Szeged and $2,594 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $259 per month in Szeged and $563 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Szeged, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Budapest at $1,730. In Szeged it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szeged – 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 Szeged. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.