Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulsan: $1,339 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,339

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulsan and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ulsan and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,339 per month in Ulsan vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Ulsan $1,339
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in Ulsan vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Ulsan $2,185
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $3,030 per month in Ulsan vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Ulsan $3,030
Budapest $3,429

Ulsan is about 17% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ulsan sits 1% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 ₩10.2K

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-45.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.63 ₩59.5K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

-27.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩7,909

$10.19 Ft 3,291

-41.81%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ₩4,425

$3.26 Ft 1,055

1.84%

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

$0.88 ₩1,179

$2.14 Ft 690

-58.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩621

$1.78 Ft 577

-73.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₩4,020

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-18.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 ₩5,846

$3.77 Ft 1,217

16.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,150

$1.15 Ft 371

105.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 ₩4,330

$1.79 Ft 578

81.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 ₩4,222

$2.49 Ft 804

26.91%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩3,646

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 ₩14.5K

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 ₩14.2K

$6.62 Ft 2,139

60.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.54 ₩32.7K

$14.69 Ft 4,745

67.05%

Apples (1kg)

$11.39 ₩15.2K

$1.83 Ft 591

522.40%

Banana (1kg)

$3.74 ₩4,992

$2.05 Ft 661

82.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.09 ₩10.8K

$2.37 Ft 765

241.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 ₩8,076

$3.90 Ft 1,260

55.13%

Potato (1kg)

$6.01 ₩8,020

$0.99 Ft 320

507.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,343

$1.00 Ft 322

226.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 ₩3,857

$1.58 Ft 511

82.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,713

$0.67 Ft 216

91.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₩4,168

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-60.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 ₩24.7K

$6.22 Ft 2,009

197.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₩3,275

$1.27 Ft 411

92.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₩4,593

$2.03 Ft 654

69.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,517

$1.52 Ft 490

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 ₩3,862

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-12.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,043

$1.37 Ft 442

-43.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.96 ₩22.6K

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-14.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₩1,906

$1.82 Ft 589

-21.43%

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

$30.0K ₩40.0M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

0.73%

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

$34.1K ₩45.5M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

0.95%

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

$197 ₩262.7K

$171 Ft 55.3K

15.06%

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

$37.06 ₩49.4K

$23.51 Ft 7,596

57.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩36.3K

$23.29 Ft 7,526

16.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ₩80.6K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-10.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$10.30 ₩13.7K

$9.30 Ft 3,004

10.75%

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

$263 ₩350.5K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-50.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.4M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

31.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₩68.7K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-48.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.56 ₩60.8K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

4.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ₩81.4K

$110 Ft 35.7K

-44.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 ₩100.1K

$119 Ft 38.4K

-36.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩497.0K

$830 Ft 268.3K

-55.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₩325.8K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-60.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 ₩1.0M

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

-52.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ₩864.8K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-44.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,483 ₩6.0M

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-23.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,479 ₩3.3M

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-36.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,331 ₩3.1M

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

41.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

6.45

-34.57%

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

Last update for Ulsan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ulsan

$489 36.5%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 47.2% $231

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulsan

$261 19.5%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 16.6% $43

Accommodation & Living

Ulsan

$244 18.2%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 155% $378

Eating Out

Ulsan

$148 11%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 50.9% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Ulsan

$105 7.8%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 59.7% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Ulsan

$81 6.1%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 6.3% $5.1

Getting Around

Ulsan

$11 * 0.9%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 290% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Ulsan versus $830 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 41% higher in Ulsan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Ulsan versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $489 in Ulsan vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

20:51 8:51 PM

7 h behind Ulsan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,129,827

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ulsan Budapest 8,480 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Ulsan
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ulsan vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,009 per month in Ulsan and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Ulsan and $61.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 89% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulsan, where all-in costs run around $1,339, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Ulsan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulsan – 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 Ulsan. 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.