Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Utsunomiya and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Utsunomiya: $1,212 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Utsunomiya
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,212
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Utsunomiya vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Utsunomiya $1,212
  • Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,948 per month in Utsunomiya vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Utsunomiya $1,948
  • Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $2,685 per month in Utsunomiya vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Utsunomiya $2,685
  • Budapest $3,429

Utsunomiya is about 25% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Utsunomiya sits 10% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.11 ¥965
$13.94 Ft 4,503
-56.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.09 ¥2,701
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
-72.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.72 ¥745
$10.19 Ft 3,291
-53.68%
Cappuccino
$3.52 ¥556
$3.26 Ft 1,055
7.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ¥167
$2.14 Ft 690
-50.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 ¥128
$1.78 Ft 577
-54.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.09 ¥488
$3.71 Ft 1,198
-16.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 ¥305
$3.77 Ft 1,217
-48.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 ¥218
$1.15 Ft 371
20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 ¥271
$1.79 Ft 578
-3.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.59 ¥883
$2.49 Ft 804
124.50%
Eggs
$2.22 ¥350
$3.90 Ft 1,261
-43.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.27 ¥1,780
$11.10 Ft 3,587
1.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.80 ¥1,075
$6.62 Ft 2,139
2.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.84 ¥2,660
$14.69 Ft 4,745
14.64%
Apples (1kg)
$4.61 ¥728
$1.83 Ft 591
151.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 ¥372
$2.05 Ft 661
14.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.38 ¥693
$2.37 Ft 765
84.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.36 ¥848
$3.90 Ft 1,260
37.44%
Potato (1kg)
$3.41 ¥539
$0.99 Ft 320
244.44%
Onion (1kg)
$2.97 ¥470
$1.00 Ft 322
197.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 ¥190
$1.58 Ft 511
-24.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 ¥120
$0.67 Ft 216
13.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.95 ¥623
$7.96 Ft 2,572
-50.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.52 ¥1,504
$6.22 Ft 2,009
53.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 ¥270
$1.27 Ft 411
34.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 ¥417
$2.03 Ft 654
30.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.58 ¥249
$1.52 Ft 490
3.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ¥8,670
$28.02 Ft 9,053
95.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.07 ¥484
$3.31 Ft 1,070
-7.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.16 ¥500
$1.37 Ft 442
130.66%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.83 ¥2,975
$19.83 Ft 6,406
-5.04%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 ¥167
$1.82 Ft 589
-41.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K ¥3.4M
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
-27.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.3K ¥2.4M
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
-54.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$146 ¥23.0K
$171 Ft 55.3K
-14.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.91 ¥3,461
$23.51 Ft 7,596
-6.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.44 ¥4,808
$23.29 Ft 7,526
30.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ¥8,234
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
-22.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.79 ¥2,020
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-32.29%
Cinema Ticket
$12.84 ¥2,029
$9.30 Ft 3,004
38.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$524 ¥82.8K
$533 Ft 172.3K
-1.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K ¥2.9M
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
8.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 ¥8,712
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
-44.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.36 ¥5,113
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
-25.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$65.7 ¥10.4K
$110 Ft 35.7K
-40.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.3 ¥11.3K
$119 Ft 38.4K
-40.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$509 ¥80.4K
$830 Ft 268.3K
-38.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ¥47.1K
$622 Ft 200.9K
-52.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$939 ¥148.4K
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-41.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$803 ¥126.9K
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-31.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,897 ¥615.7K
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-33.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,781 ¥281.4K
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
-54.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Utsunomiya
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.25
6.45
-65.12%

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

Last update for Utsunomiya: October 10, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Utsunomiya
$325
Budapest
$258 20.6% $67
Accommodation & Living
Utsunomiya
$298
Budapest
$622 109% $324
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Utsunomiya
$198
Budapest
$218 10.1% $20
Eating Out
Utsunomiya
$132
Budapest
$223 68.8% $91
Clothing & Footwear
Utsunomiya
$101
Budapest
$168 65.9% $67
Getting Around
Utsunomiya
$80
Budapest
$44 44.7% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Utsunomiya
$78
Budapest
$86 10.7% $8.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Utsunomiya 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Utsunomiya versus $61.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $325 in Utsunomiya vs $258 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Utsunomiya
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
16:59 4:59 PM
09:59 9:59 AM
7 h behind Utsunomiya
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
519,217
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Utsunomiya Budapest 8,980 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Utsunomiya
  • 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
Utsunomiya vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budapest cheaper than Utsunomiya?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 34%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,818 per month in Utsunomiya and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Utsunomiya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 96% less in Utsunomiya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $524 per month in Utsunomiya and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Utsunomiya or in Budapest?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Utsunomiya, where all-in costs run around $1,212, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Utsunomiya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Utsunomiya or Budapest more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Utsunomiya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Utsunomiya or Budapest?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Utsunomiya. 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.

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