Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Union, SC and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,296 in Union, SC, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

113

Cost of Living Index in Union, SC
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Union, SC Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Union, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,296

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Union, SC 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 Union, SC and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,296 per month in Union, SC vs $1,641 in Budapest, rent included.

Union, SC $2,296
Budapest $1,641

A couple spends around $3,597 per month in Union, SC vs $2,562 in Budapest, rent included.

Union, SC $3,597
Budapest $2,562

A family of three spends $4,897 per month in Union, SC vs $3,483 in Budapest, rent included.

Union, SC $4,897
Budapest $3,483

Union, SC costs about 40% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Union, SC and Budapest sit above the global median – Union, SC by 69%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.15 $9.15

$14.04 Ft 4,536

-34.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

62.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 $8.51

$10.37 Ft 3,351

-17.94%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$3.46 Ft 1,117

72.83%

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

$2.33 $2.33

$2.07 Ft 669

12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.77 Ft 572

9.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.69 Ft 1,191

-24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.80 Ft 1,229

-10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.16 Ft 374

-7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.85 Ft 598

76.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$2.40 Ft 776

2.08%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$3.99 Ft 1,289

-17.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$11.40 Ft 3,683

-21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.31 $13.31

$6.87 Ft 2,221

93.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$14.49 Ft 4,682

1.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.88 Ft 607

49.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$2.14 Ft 693

-38.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.30 Ft 744

40.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$4.04 Ft 1,304

9.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.02 Ft 329

132.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.99 Ft 320

114.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.58 Ft 510

10.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 $1.29

$0.70 Ft 225

84.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.35 $8.35

$8.03 Ft 2,594

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$6.18 Ft 1,997

41.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.24 Ft 401

44.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.06 Ft 666

150.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.59 Ft 513

31.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 Ft 8,893

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 $4.62

$3.43 Ft 1,110

34.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.33 Ft 431

127.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.96 $34.96

$20.45 Ft 6,607

70.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.93 Ft 624

-52.85%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

-4.00%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

-27.32%

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

$177 $177

$175 Ft 56.4K

1.41%

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

$64.9 $64.9

$23.62 Ft 7,631

174.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.72 $45.72

$23.60 Ft 7,625

93.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

-39.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 $13.17

$10.31 Ft 3,333

27.74%

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

$2,585 $2,585

$535 Ft 172.9K

382.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

36.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.21 $47.21

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

-52.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.96 $20.96

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

-51.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$112 Ft 36.1K

-23.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$119 Ft 38.4K

-16.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,390 $1,390

$832 Ft 268.8K

67.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,259 $1,259

$629 Ft 203.3K

100.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,203 $2,203

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 $2,419

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

102.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

-52.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,125 $2,125

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

-46.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,496 $2,496

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

45.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

-37.98%

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

Last update for Union, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Union, SC

$1.3K 54.8%

Budapest

$629 38.4% 50% $630

Groceries & Markets

Union, SC

$332 14.4%

Budapest

$262 16% 21.1% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Union, SC

$288 12.5%

Budapest

$222 13.5% 22.9% $66

Eating Out

Union, SC

$208 9.1%

Budapest

$226 13.8% 8.6% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Union, SC

$114 5%

Budapest

$168 10.3% 47.9% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Union, SC

$68 3%

Budapest

$89 5.5% 31.4% $21

Getting Around

Union, SC

$28 * 1.2%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 56.7% $16

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,390 in Union, SC versus $832 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 Union, SC, 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 $99.0 in Union, SC versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $262 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Union, SC

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

06:11 6:11 AM

12:11 12:11 PM

6 h ahead of Union, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,000

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

HUF to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Union, SC Budapest 7,950 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Union, SC
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

Union, SC vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Union, SC is pricier by about 40%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,444 per month in Union, SC and $2,461 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, 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 $99.0 in Union, SC and $61.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Union, SC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Union, SC at $2,296. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Union, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Union, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.