Cost of living in Budapest
A 15% flat income tax and the cheapest big-city rents in the EU, against weaker healthcare and a soft currency.
Build your own budget
Monthly spending by category: Housing $650, Food $459, Transport $66, Utilities $177, Healthcare $17, Lifestyle $99, Other $65.
1-bed, city centre Median advertised rent for this unit type Estimated $650
Salary and tax in Budapest
| Gross salary (USD/yr) | Income tax | Social contributions | Take-home / month | Effective rate | Left after costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $6,000 | $7,400 | $2,217 | 33.5% | $684 |
| $75,000 | $11,250 | $13,875 | $4,156 | 33.5% | $2,623 |
| $120,000 | $18,000 | $22,200 | $6,650 | 33.5% | $5,117 |
| $200,000 | $30,000 | $37,000 | $11,083 | 33.5% | $9,550 |
- Flat 15% personal income tax. Under-25s are exempt up to the average wage.
People who actually live in Budapest
Quality of life
A year of weather in Budapest
Average monthly temperature in Budapest: January 2.5 degrees, February 4 degrees, March 8.1 degrees, April 12.1 degrees, May 16.2 degrees, June 22 degrees, July 24 degrees, August 23.8 degrees, September 19 degrees, October 12.2 degrees, November 5.2 degrees, December 2.5 degrees. The shaded band is the average daily high and low.
Where these numbers come from
Share of this budget, weighted by money rather than by field count, that rests on a published source rather than our model.
- Measured0%
- Taken directly from a published source. No modelling in between.
- Derived38%
- Anchored to a measured source, then adjusted. The adjustment is stated.
- Estimated62%
- Modelled from regional relationships. Nobody measured this one.
Prices in Budapest
| Item | USD | HUF |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (monthly rent) | ||
| One-bedroom, city centre | $650 | HUF 212,639 |
| One-bedroom, outside the centre | $480 | HUF 157,026 |
| Three-bedroom, city centre | $1,200 | HUF 392,565 |
| Three-bedroom, outside the centre | $880 | HUF 287,881 |
| Buy price per m², city centre | $2,600 | HUF 850,557 |
| Bills | ||
| Utilities, 85m² apartment | $230 | HUF 75,242 |
| Home internet, 60 Mbps+ | $15 | HUF 4,907 |
| Mobile plan | $12 | HUF 3,926 |
| Food | ||
| Groceries, one adult per month | $304 | HUF 99,450 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | $8.75 | HUF 2,862 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $49 | HUF 16,030 |
| Coffee | $3.06 | HUF 1,001 |
| Beer in a bar | $2.73 | HUF 893 |
| Transport | ||
| Monthly transit pass | $30 | HUF 9,814 |
| Taxi, per km | $1.00 | HUF 327 |
| Petrol, per litre | $1.70 | HUF 556 |
| Health, family & lifestyle | ||
| Health insurance, per adult | $60 | HUF 19,628 |
| Doctor visit, out of pocket | $30 | HUF 9,814 |
| Full-time childcare, one child | $380 | HUF 124,312 |
| International school, per year | $15,000 | HUF 4,907,060 |
| Gym membership | $30 | HUF 9,814 |
| Cinema ticket | $8.00 | HUF 2,617 |
Prices are held in USD and converted at the August 2026 snapshot rate. Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Every figure carries its own provenance — see where these numbers come from.
Living and working here
The White Card is Hungary’s digital-nomad residence permit, valid up to two years.
1 USD ≈ HUF 327.14
Europe/Budapest
continental climate
Compare Budapest with…
Getting set up in Budapest
The things people end up arranging in the first month in Budapest — usually in roughly this order. We have picked services that work before you have local residency, which is the constraint that catches most people out.
- AiraloesimData eSIM for the first weeks before you get a local number.
- SafetyWinginsuranceHealth and travel cover written for people living outside their home country.
- WisetransferMoving money between currencies without the bank spread.
- RevolutbankingA multi-currency account that works before you have local residency.
- Kiwi.comflightsOne-way and multi-city routing for a move rather than a return trip.
- Booking.comstaysSomewhere to land for the first month while you look at flats.
These are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may be paid a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what any of them costs, and it has no bearing on the numbers anywhere else on this page — those come from the model, not from anyone paying us.
Know what things really cost here?
No submissions yet. Yours would be the first.
We publish the median, not the mean — one mis-keyed rent should not move the number.
Frequently asked
How much money do you need per month to live in Budapest?
A single adult renting a one-bedroom in the centre and living moderately needs roughly $1,533 a month, of which $650 is rent. A couple sharing that flat needs about $2,140, and a family of four in a three-bedroom outside the centre with childcare needs about $4,042.
Is Budapest expensive?
On our index Budapest scores 24 where New York is 100 — about 76% below New York for the same household. The average local net salary of $1,150 a month covers 0.8× that budget.
What salary do you need in Budapest?
To cover the single-adult budget of $1,533 a month after tax, you need roughly $27,500 gross a year — before any saving. Add 30–40% on top if you want to save meaningfully.
How much is rent in Budapest?
A one-bedroom in the centre averages $650 a month, $480 outside the centre. A three-bedroom runs $1,200 central and $880 further out.
Can you work remotely from Budapest?
The White Card is Hungary’s digital-nomad residence permit, valid up to two years.
Sources
- World Bank – ICP price level & PPP indicators— price levels, purchasing power normalisation
- OECD – Prices and purchasing power parities— price levels, household consumption
- Open-Meteo historical climate archive— climate
- exchangerate.host / ECB reference rates— currency conversion
Figures are modelled estimates built for comparison between cities, not a quote for any individual. Read the full methodology.