Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,851 in University Place, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index
80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,851

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,851 per month in University Place, WA vs $1,641 in Budapest, rent included.

University Place, WA $2,851
Budapest $1,641

A couple spends around $4,224 per month in University Place, WA vs $2,562 in Budapest, rent included.

University Place, WA $4,224
Budapest $2,562

A family of three spends $5,598 per month in University Place, WA vs $3,483 in Budapest, rent included.

University Place, WA $5,598
Budapest $3,483

University Place, WA costs about 74% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both University Place, WA and Budapest sit above the global median – University Place, WA by 110%, Budapest by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 $25.22

$14.04 Ft 4,536

79.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

64.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$10.37 Ft 3,351

16.30%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$3.46 Ft 1,117

70.23%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$2.07 Ft 669

49.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.77 Ft 572

75.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.69 Ft 1,191

111.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.80 Ft 1,229

115.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.16 Ft 374

-0.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.85 Ft 598

129.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.40 Ft 776

138.33%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$3.99 Ft 1,289

26.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.27 $16.27

$11.40 Ft 3,683

42.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$6.87 Ft 2,221

172.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.43 $23.43

$14.49 Ft 4,682

61.70%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$1.88 Ft 607

214.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.14 Ft 693

-21.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.30 Ft 744

123.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$4.04 Ft 1,304

15.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.02 Ft 329

250.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$0.99 Ft 320

193.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.58 Ft 510

28.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.70 Ft 225

325.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$8.03 Ft 2,594

51.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 $17.78

$6.18 Ft 1,997

187.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.24 Ft 401

42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$2.06 Ft 666

131.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.59 Ft 513

30.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 Ft 8,893

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.43 Ft 1,110

-24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.33 Ft 431

27.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.67 $29.67

$20.45 Ft 6,607

45.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.93 Ft 624

-27.98%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

-4.53%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

-24.12%

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

$231 $231

$175 Ft 56.4K

32.08%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$23.62 Ft 7,631

200.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.1 $87.1

$23.60 Ft 7,625

269.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 $40.92

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

-40.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

Cinema Ticket

$18.14 $18.14

$10.31 Ft 3,333

75.95%

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

$2,127 $2,127

$535 Ft 172.9K

297.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

87.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 $60.0

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

-39.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.92 $44.92

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 $129

$112 Ft 36.1K

15.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$119 Ft 38.4K

6.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$832 Ft 268.8K

88.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$629 Ft 203.3K

107.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

77.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,448 $2,448

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

-57.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 $2,307

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

-41.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,911 $7,911

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

362.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.45

2.95%

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

Last update for University Place, WA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

University Place, WA

$1.3K 45.8%

Budapest

$629 38.4% 51.8% $677

Groceries & Markets

University Place, WA

$507 17.8%

Budapest

$262 16% 48.4% $246

Eating Out

University Place, WA

$389 13.6%

Budapest

$226 13.8% 41.8% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

University Place, WA

$389 13.6%

Budapest

$222 13.5% 42.9% $167

Clothing & Footwear

University Place, WA

$162 5.7%

Budapest

$168 10.3% 3.6% $5.9

Sport & Entertainment

University Place, WA

$77 2.7%

Budapest

$89 5.5% 15.9% $12

Getting Around

University Place, WA

$19 * 0.7%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 127% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in University Place, WA 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 362% higher in University Place, WA, 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 $100 in University Place, WA versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $262 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

03:16 3:16 AM

12:16 12:16 PM

9 h ahead of University Place, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,866

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

University Place, WA Budapest 8,840 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

University Place, WA
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

University Place, WA vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – University Place, WA is pricier by about 74%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,276 per month in University Place, WA 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 $100 in University Place, WA 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 94% more in University Place, WA, 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 University Place, WA at $2,851. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in University Place, WA 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, University Place, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.