Cost of Living Comparison Between Szombathely and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Szombathely and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,258 per month in Szombathely vs $1,666 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in Szombathely vs $2,657 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Szombathely vs $3,649 in Budapest, rent included.

Szombathely is about 24% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.59 Ft 3,980

$14.41 Ft 4,555

-12.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 Ft 17.7K

$63.2 Ft 20.0K

-11.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 Ft 2,839

$11.21 Ft 3,545

-19.89%

Cappuccino

$2.47 Ft 780

$3.56 Ft 1,124

-30.62%

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

$1.40 Ft 441

$2.16 Ft 683

-35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 422

$2.01 Ft 635

-33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Ft 586

$3.85 Ft 1,216

-51.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Ft 764

$3.84 Ft 1,213

-36.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 390

$1.25 Ft 395

-1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 Ft 540

$1.87 Ft 591

-8.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 Ft 774

$2.55 Ft 806

-3.92%

Eggs

$3.43 Ft 1,084

$4.10 Ft 1,297

-16.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 Ft 3,352

$11.93 Ft 3,773

-11.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 Ft 2,211

$6.88 Ft 2,174

1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 Ft 5,359

$15.30 Ft 4,838

10.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Ft 731

$2.00 Ft 631

15.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 675

$2.19 Ft 691

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 Ft 811

$2.52 Ft 797

1.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 Ft 1,086

$4.14 Ft 1,309

-16.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 369

$1.00 Ft 316

17.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 Ft 454

$1.03 Ft 325

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 Ft 601

$1.67 Ft 529

13.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 Ft 192

$0.70 Ft 221

-12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.56 Ft 2,708

$8.18 Ft 2,586

4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 Ft 1,495

$6.31 Ft 1,994

-25.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 Ft 417

$1.31 Ft 414

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 Ft 841

$2.11 Ft 666

26.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 Ft 273

$1.57 Ft 495

-45.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 Ft 8,755

$28.14 Ft 8,896

-1.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Ft 901

$3.50 Ft 1,106

-18.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 Ft 443

$1.35 Ft 428

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.55 Ft 7,762

$20.69 Ft 6,541

18.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 Ft 598

$1.94 Ft 613

-2.58%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.4M

$31.6K Ft 10.0M

-5.65%

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

$33.9K Ft 10.7M

$34.6K Ft 10.9M

-2.05%

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

$173 Ft 54.6K

$174 Ft 55.0K

-0.67%

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

$21.19 Ft 6,700

$25.89 Ft 8,185

-18.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 Ft 6,730

$24.46 Ft 7,733

-12.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.16 Ft 15.5K

$70.3 Ft 22.2K

-30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.03 Ft 6,332

$19.50 Ft 6,166

2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 Ft 1,464

$9.59 Ft 3,032

-51.72%

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

$437 Ft 138.1K

$555 Ft 175.4K

-21.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 Ft 2.5M

$17.5K Ft 5.5M

-53.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 Ft 33.0K

$105 Ft 33.2K

-0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 Ft 16.9K

$43.79 Ft 13.8K

22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 Ft 31.3K

$117 Ft 37.1K

-15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 Ft 36.7K

$121 Ft 38.4K

-4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 171.8K

$860 Ft 271.9K

-36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 Ft 111.7K

$655 Ft 207.1K

-46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 Ft 243.3K

$1,690 Ft 534.4K

-54.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 Ft 215.2K

$1,262 Ft 399.0K

-46.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,489 Ft 786.9K

$5,865 Ft 1.9M

-57.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,030 Ft 641.9K

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

-49.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,186 Ft 375.0K

$1,735 Ft 548.4K

-31.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

6.56

14.33%

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

Last update for Szombathely: September 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $543 in Szombathely versus $860 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 46% 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 Szombathely versus $63.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 vs $271 – making Szombathely 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

Szombathely vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,887 per month in Szombathely and $2,499 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 2% less in Szombathely. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $437 per month in Szombathely and $555 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 Szombathely, where all-in costs run around $1,258, than in Budapest at $1,666. In Szombathely it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Szombathely – 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 Szombathely. 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.