Cost of Living Comparison Between Vic and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Vic and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Vic vs $1,721 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Vic vs $2,708 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,083 per month in Vic vs $3,695 in Budapest, rent included.

Vic is about 17% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vic and Budapest sit above the global median – Vic by 4%, Budapest by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €14.82

$14.35 Ft 4,465

20.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.64 €34.94

$63.4 Ft 19.7K

-35.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 €9.86

$11.23 Ft 3,493

2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.86

$3.40 Ft 1,058

-36.18%

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

$2.46 €2.12

$2.14 Ft 667

14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.32

$2.03 Ft 632

-24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.74 Ft 1,162

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 €3.09

$3.79 Ft 1,179

-5.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.23 Ft 381

-13.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.78

$1.91 Ft 593

8.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.58 Ft 803

-48.45%

Eggs

$2.91 €2.51

$4.14 Ft 1,287

-29.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.04 €10.35

$12.43 Ft 3,868

-3.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.17

$6.90 Ft 2,146

37.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.97 €24.04

$15.36 Ft 4,777

82.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$2.07 Ft 645

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.17 Ft 676

7.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 €1.57

$2.49 Ft 776

-26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$4.11 Ft 1,278

-49.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.03 Ft 322

44.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.00 Ft 310

48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.59 Ft 494

-3.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.68 Ft 212

72.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 €5.40

$8.39 Ft 2,609

-25.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 €5.87

$6.38 Ft 1,984

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 €0.84

$1.33 Ft 414

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.62

$2.25 Ft 701

-16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.59 €2.22

$1.58 Ft 491

63.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.19 €20.80

$28.78 Ft 8,954

-15.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 €2.14

$3.57 Ft 1,110

-30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.43 Ft 445

-25.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 €26.17

$20.58 Ft 6,405

47.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 €1.44

$1.87 Ft 582

-10.16%

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

$36.6K €31.5K

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

15.23%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

-14.68%

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

$114 €97.9

$173 Ft 54.0K

-34.33%

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

$11.85 €10.18

$25.97 Ft 8,080

-54.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.64 €18.60

$25.25 Ft 7,855

-14.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 €45.68

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

-25.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.5 €50.3

$19.20 Ft 5,975

204.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 €7.80

$9.76 Ft 3,038

-7.07%

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

$465 €400

$577 Ft 179.5K

-19.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,308 €7,142

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 €54.1

$107 Ft 33.2K

-41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.22 €32.86

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

-13.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.2

$116 Ft 36.2K

-13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 €99.0

$120 Ft 37.5K

-4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 €507

$858 Ft 267.1K

-31.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$484 €416

$671 Ft 208.8K

-27.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 €964

$1,672 Ft 520.1K

-32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 €714

$1,295 Ft 403.1K

-35.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,659 €2,286

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

-56.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 €1,980

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

-44.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,182 €1,876

$1,709 Ft 531.6K

27.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

6.68

-62.57%

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

Last update for Vic: September 1, 2026

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $590 in Vic versus $858 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 28% higher in Vic, 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 $41.00 in Vic versus $63.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $311 in Vic vs $274 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Vic vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,145 per month in Vic and $2,581 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 19% less in Vic. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Vic and $577 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 Vic, where all-in costs run around $1,430, than in Budapest at $1,721. In Vic it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vic – 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 Vic. 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.