Cost of Living Comparison Between Szentendre and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Szentendre and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,155 per month in Szentendre vs $1,450 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,758 per month in Szentendre vs $2,221 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,361 per month in Szentendre vs $2,991 in Budapest, rent included.

Szentendre is about 20% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Szentendre sits 14% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 Ft 3,576

$11.49 Ft 3,504

2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 Ft 16.9K

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

-2.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 Ft 2,700

$8.66 Ft 2,641

2.19%

Cappuccino

$2.08 Ft 634

$2.77 Ft 844

-24.91%

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

$1.42 Ft 433

$1.80 Ft 548

-21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 379

$1.33 Ft 407

-6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 Ft 885

$2.81 Ft 858

3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 Ft 719

$2.79 Ft 852

-15.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 Ft 305

$1.21 Ft 368

-17.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Ft 479

$1.74 Ft 529

-9.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 577

$2.08 Ft 636

-9.13%

Eggs

$2.71 Ft 826

$3.10 Ft 947

-12.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 Ft 3,007

$9.95 Ft 3,034

-0.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 Ft 1,856

$6.33 Ft 1,930

-3.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 Ft 3,756

$13.33 Ft 4,066

-7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 Ft 523

$1.85 Ft 565

-7.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 Ft 603

$1.91 Ft 582

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Ft 548

$2.17 Ft 662

-17.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 Ft 1,008

$3.67 Ft 1,119

-9.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 Ft 330

$1.13 Ft 344

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 450

$1.55 Ft 472

-4.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 174

$0.53 Ft 163

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 Ft 2,038

$6.79 Ft 2,072

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 Ft 1,830

$5.87 Ft 1,790

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 Ft 338

$1.22 Ft 371

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$1.73 Ft 527

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 358

$1.28 Ft 391

-8.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 Ft 8,283

$26.14 Ft 7,972

3.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 Ft 777

$3.26 Ft 994

-21.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 338

$1.13 Ft 344

-1.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 Ft 4,161

$19.23 Ft 5,865

-29.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 553

$1.75 Ft 533

3.43%

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

$24.5K Ft 7.5M

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

-5.38%

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

$31.1K Ft 9.5M

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

1.01%

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

$145 Ft 44.1K

$145 Ft 44.3K

-0.41%

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

$26.47 Ft 8,072

$26.21 Ft 7,995

0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.05 Ft 6,114

$20.23 Ft 6,170

-0.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 Ft 14.4K

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

-23.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.40 Ft 7,137

$22.11 Ft 6,744

5.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 Ft 2,249

$9.15 Ft 2,791

-19.45%

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

$333 Ft 101.4K

$454 Ft 138.4K

-26.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,399 Ft 1.0M

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

-71.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 Ft 17.0K

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

-34.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.08 Ft 8,258

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

-35.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 Ft 19.2K

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

-34.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 Ft 20.8K

$107 Ft 32.5K

-35.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 Ft 134.9K

$719 Ft 219.2K

-38.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 Ft 103.8K

$553 Ft 168.6K

-38.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 Ft 192.5K

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

-53.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 165.5K

$984 Ft 300.0K

-44.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,217 Ft 981.0K

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

-46.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,023 Ft 1.2M

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

-9.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,647 Ft 502.4K

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

-10.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

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

Last update for Szentendre: May 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Szentendre versus $719 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 11% 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 $56.0 in Szentendre versus $57.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $239 – making Szentendre 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

Szentendre vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,732 per month in Szentendre and $2,175 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 4% less in Szentendre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $333 per month in Szentendre and $454 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Szentendre, where all-in costs run around $1,155, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Szentendre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szentendre – 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 Szentendre. 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.