Hungary
A grand, thermal-bath-loving capital split by the Danube, offering stunning architecture, ruin bars, and one of Europe's best nightlife scenes at bargain prices.
#101 of 250
8% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 1 568
Based on NYC = 100 index
Budapest is the 101. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 1 568 for one adult.
Most of that goes on healthcare, which runs 276% above the median city and adds $ 49 a month: doctor visit (15 min) $ 129, cold medicine (6 days) $ 4.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is housing, 25% below the median: 1br apartment (city center) $ 819, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 735.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
46 prices on this page come from live scrapers (10 sources, observed October 13, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Budapest, Hungary. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/budapest. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 819.26 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Alberlet.hu |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 735.04 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Alberlet.hu |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,041.30 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Alberlet.hu |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 857.54 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Alberlet.hu |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 14.46 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Pork (1kg) | 5.18 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Beef (1kg) | 12.85 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 18.04 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.70 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Yogurt (150g) | 0.29 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Cheese (1kg) | 7.38 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Butter (200g) | 1.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Eggs (12) | 1.71 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Bread (500g) | 1.90 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Bread Roll (1pc) | 0.26 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Pasta (500g) | 2.81 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.45 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Oats (500g) | 1.22 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 1.08 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 3.02 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Bell Peppers (1kg) | 0.76 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Carrots (1kg) | 1.56 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Onions (1kg) | 5.87 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Garlic (1kg) | 5.85 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.68 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Apples (1kg) | 1.71 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Banana (1kg) | 3.37 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.75 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Lentils (1kg) | 3.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Canned Tomatoes (400g) | 4.08 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Sunflower Oil (1L) | 2.09 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.47 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Sugar (1kg) | 1.03 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Coffee (250g) | 4.59 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Water (1.5 liter) | 0.48 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Orange Juice (1L) | 2.17 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Kifli |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 27.41 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 1.53 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.93 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | EU Weekly Oil Bulletin |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 108.88 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Eurostat Energy Prices |
| Cinema Ticket | 9.80 / ticket | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Cinema Ticket Prices |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 12.25 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices |
| Doctor Visit (15 min) | 128.63 / visit | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Private Clinics & Telehealth |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 52.01 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops, H&M |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 70.13 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops, H&M |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 58.16 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-13 | AboutYou & local fashion e-shops |
Cities where the money splits the same way
South Africa
Similar share of Housing & Basic Grocery Basket
Canada
Similar share of Housing & Entertainment
Slovakia
Similar share of Housing & Restaurants
Poland
Similar share of Housing & Utilities
Monthly average costs by category
$ 777
per month
$ 141
per month
$ 235
per month
$ 106
per month
$ 136
per month
$ 81
per month
$ 66
per month
$ 25
per month