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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,126 per month in Szombathely vs $1,439 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Szombathely vs $2,207 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,111 per month in Szombathely vs $2,976 in Budapest, rent included.

Szombathely is about 22% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Szombathely sits 16% below the global median, while Budapest is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 Ft 2,527

$11.73 Ft 3,524

-28.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.46 Ft 12.8K

$58.1 Ft 17.5K

-26.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 Ft 2,566

$8.56 Ft 2,571

-0.23%

Cappuccino

$2.13 Ft 641

$2.78 Ft 836

-23.38%

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

$1.10 Ft 330

$1.78 Ft 536

-38.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 Ft 289

$1.29 Ft 387

-25.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 Ft 483

$2.86 Ft 860

-43.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 Ft 639

$2.93 Ft 881

-27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Ft 333

$1.26 Ft 377

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 Ft 455

$1.69 Ft 508

-10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 569

$2.13 Ft 640

-11.27%

Eggs

$2.54 Ft 763

$3.07 Ft 922

-17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 Ft 2,793

$9.81 Ft 2,948

-5.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 Ft 1,851

$6.37 Ft 1,913

-3.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 Ft 4,334

$13.07 Ft 3,927

10.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 575

$1.93 Ft 581

-1.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 574

$1.99 Ft 598

-4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 Ft 654

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 Ft 846

$3.61 Ft 1,083

-21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 351

$1.13 Ft 340

3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 Ft 388

$1.20 Ft 361

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 Ft 544

$1.48 Ft 443

22.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 160

$0.57 Ft 172

-7.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 Ft 2,105

$6.93 Ft 2,083

1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.01 Ft 1,504

$5.85 Ft 1,759

-14.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 Ft 355

$1.20 Ft 360

-1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 Ft 465

$1.72 Ft 516

-9.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 Ft 252

$1.26 Ft 379

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.79 Ft 5,345

$25.55 Ft 7,677

-30.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 Ft 758

$3.22 Ft 967

-21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 337

$1.17 Ft 353

-4.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.09 Ft 6,639

$18.78 Ft 5,643

17.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 Ft 520

$1.82 Ft 548

-4.95%

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

$27.0K Ft 8.1M

$25.4K Ft 7.6M

6.44%

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

$26.3K Ft 7.9M

$31.4K Ft 9.4M

-16.11%

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

$162 Ft 48.7K

$144 Ft 43.3K

12.55%

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

$27.03 Ft 8,123

$25.99 Ft 7,810

4.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.98 Ft 6,004

$20.06 Ft 6,028

-0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.49 Ft 14.0K

$64.0 Ft 19.2K

-27.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.62 Ft 4,995

$21.83 Ft 6,561

-23.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 Ft 1,302

$9.09 Ft 2,730

-52.37%

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

$396 Ft 119.1K

$463 Ft 139.2K

-14.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,180 Ft 2.2M

$12.5K Ft 3.7M

-42.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.5 Ft 28.1K

$84.5 Ft 25.4K

10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.94 Ft 13.2K

$43.11 Ft 13.0K

1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 Ft 28.3K

$96.3 Ft 28.9K

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 Ft 29.8K

$105 Ft 31.6K

-5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 Ft 128.4K

$722 Ft 216.9K

-40.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 Ft 96.5K

$543 Ft 163.2K

-40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 Ft 129.4K

$1,320 Ft 396.8K

-67.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Ft 104.6K

$953 Ft 286.3K

-63.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 Ft 790.8K

$6,215 Ft 1.9M

-57.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,175 Ft 653.5K

$4,448 Ft 1.3M

-51.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,248 Ft 375.0K

$1,795 Ft 539.5K

-30.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

7.03

6.69%

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

Last update for Szombathely: June 13, 2026

Last update for Budapest: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Szombathely versus $722 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 44% 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 $42.00 in Szombathely versus $58.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $239 – 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 28%, 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 $1,689 per month in Szombathely and $2,158 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 44% less in Szombathely. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $396 per month in Szombathely and $463 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 $1,126, than in Budapest at $1,439. 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.