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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,053 per month in Szeged vs $1,451 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Szeged vs $2,210 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Szeged vs $2,969 in Budapest, rent included.

Szeged is about 27% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Szeged sits 22% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 Ft 2,386

$11.64 Ft 3,592

-33.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 Ft 13.9K

$58.5 Ft 18.1K

-22.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 Ft 1,733

$8.61 Ft 2,657

-34.84%

Cappuccino

$1.97 Ft 607

$2.83 Ft 875

-30.39%

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

$1.36 Ft 421

$1.81 Ft 558

-24.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 286

$1.35 Ft 418

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 Ft 729

$2.96 Ft 915

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 Ft 672

$2.92 Ft 901

-25.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Ft 332

$1.27 Ft 392

-15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Ft 475

$1.66 Ft 514

-7.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 547

$2.04 Ft 631

-13.24%

Eggs

$2.91 Ft 899

$3.16 Ft 974

-7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 Ft 2,492

$9.88 Ft 3,049

-18.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 Ft 1,837

$6.17 Ft 1,905

-3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.31 Ft 3,493

$13.46 Ft 4,155

-15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 571

$1.86 Ft 574

-0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 575

$1.91 Ft 590

-2.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 625

$2.08 Ft 641

-2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 Ft 895

$3.61 Ft 1,114

-19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 315

$1.14 Ft 351

-10.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 368

$1.22 Ft 375

-2.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 Ft 430

$1.54 Ft 476

-9.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Ft 145

$0.53 Ft 165

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 Ft 2,320

$6.88 Ft 2,124

9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 Ft 1,638

$5.98 Ft 1,845

-11.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 287

$1.20 Ft 370

-22.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 383

$1.65 Ft 511

-24.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 Ft 498

$1.31 Ft 406

22.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.00 Ft 8,642

$25.92 Ft 8,002

8.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Ft 896

$3.23 Ft 997

-10.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 Ft 395

$1.13 Ft 348

13.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 Ft 5,365

$18.91 Ft 5,838

-8.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 540

$1.75 Ft 539

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

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

0.29%

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

$25.6K Ft 7.9M

$31.6K Ft 9.8M

-19.20%

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

$104 Ft 32.2K

$145 Ft 44.9K

-28.20%

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

$25.12 Ft 7,754

$26.44 Ft 8,163

-4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.72 Ft 5,778

$19.87 Ft 6,134

-5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 Ft 12.4K

$63.7 Ft 19.6K

-36.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 Ft 6,143

$22.23 Ft 6,860

-10.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 Ft 2,401

$9.09 Ft 2,805

-14.41%

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

$221 Ft 68.2K

$460 Ft 142.1K

-52.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,372 Ft 2.0M

$12.2K Ft 3.8M

-47.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 Ft 27.9K

$87.3 Ft 26.9K

3.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 Ft 8,060

$42.04 Ft 13.0K

-37.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 Ft 26.5K

$97.7 Ft 30.2K

-12.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 32.4K

$104 Ft 32.0K

1.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 Ft 136.0K

$743 Ft 229.3K

-40.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Ft 106.1K

$543 Ft 167.6K

-36.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 Ft 209.0K

$1,353 Ft 417.7K

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 Ft 165.7K

$977 Ft 301.5K

-45.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,386 Ft 1.0M

$6,134 Ft 1.9M

-44.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 Ft 758.0K

$4,404 Ft 1.4M

-44.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,328 Ft 409.8K

$1,800 Ft 555.5K

-26.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.03

-16.79%

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

Last update for Szeged: June 7, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Szeged versus $743 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 36% 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 $45.00 in Szeged versus $59.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $238 – 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 38%, 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 $1,580 per month in Szeged and $2,177 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 8% less in Szeged. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $221 per month in Szeged and $460 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 $1,053, than in Budapest at $1,451. 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.