Cost of Living in Budapest

Long-term rentals offer the best value for digital nomads planning to stay in Budapest for three months or more, and the market in early 2026 reflects a welcome moderation after several years of sharp price increases. Studio apartments in central Pest districts (V, VI, VII) range from $510-700 per month (165,000-225,000 HUF), while studios in outer neighborhoods like Zuglo (XIV), Obuda (III), or Ujpest (IV) can be found for $375-480 (120,000-155,000 HUF). One-bedroom apartments in the city center average $700-960 per month (225,000-310,000 HUF), with the most prestigious addresses in District V (Lipotvaros) reaching up to $1,080 (350,000-400,000 HUF), while one-bedrooms outside the center run $530-740 (170,000-240,000 HUF). Two-bedroom apartments, popular among nomad couples or those wanting a dedicated home office, range from $970-1,400 in central districts down to $700-900 in residential outer areas. Furnished apartments, which are what most digital nomads seek, carry a 15-25% premium over unfurnished units, but this is standard across the market and saves the significant hassle and expense of furnishing a place for a temporary stay. Utilities for a 45-square-meter studio run approximately $120-150 per month including electricity, gas, water, and heating (the heating component is significant given Budapest's cold winters), while an 85-square-meter apartment costs around $150-180. Broadband internet is cheap and excellent at around $26 per month for plans offering 100-300 Mbps, and many landlords include it in the rent. Most landlords require a minimum one-year lease and a two-month deposit, though some are willing to negotiate six-month terms with nomad-friendly platforms like Flatio, which offers deposit-free medium-term rentals, or through direct negotiation with smaller landlords who may accept shorter commitments at a slight premium.

Budapest is one of Europe's most rewarding cities for budget eating, with an abundance of filling meals available for under $5 if you know where to look. The quintessential Hungarian street food is langos, a deep-fried flatbread traditionally topped with sour cream and grated cheese, which costs between 500 and 800 HUF ($1.50-$2.50) at local stands, though tourist-heavy locations like the upper floor of the Great Market Hall (Nagyvasarcsarnok) charge closer to 1,100-1,800 HUF ($3.50-$5.50) for a loaded version. Kurtoskalacs (chimney cake), the sweet spiral pastry cooked over charcoal, runs 800-1,200 HUF ($2.50-$3.70) at street stands throughout the city. The single best budget hack in Budapest is the "napi menu" or daily lunch special, offered by hundreds of restaurants on weekdays between noon and 2:30 PM — a two-course meal (soup plus a main) typically costs just 2,000-3,500 HUF ($6-$11), and some old-school places like neighborhood etkezde (canteens) offer three-course fixed menus for as little as 1,490 HUF ($4.60). Gyros shops and Turkish kebab joints are scattered throughout every district, with a pita gyros starting at 1,200-1,500 HUF ($3.70-$4.65) and a full plate with fries and a drink for around 2,500 HUF ($7.75). The Karavan Street Food court, located next to Szimpla Kert in the Jewish Quarter, offers a rotating lineup of food trucks where most dishes cost 1,800-3,000 HUF ($5.60-$9.30). Bors GasztroBar on Kazinczy utca is a cult favorite for gourmet soups in paper cups and stuffed baguettes, with most items under 2,500 HUF ($7.75) — expect a queue at lunchtime. For fast food benchmarks, a McDonald's McMeal combo averages 3,000 HUF ($9.30) and a standalone cheeseburger costs about 900 HUF ($2.80), while a Burger King Whopper menu runs about 2,320 HUF ($7.20). Retro Langos Budapest, which won the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award, offers over 30 varieties of langos including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options at reasonable prices in the city center.

Budapest's supermarket landscape is competitive and well-stocked, with German discount chains leading the value proposition. Lidl consistently ranks as the cheapest supermarket in Hungary, with 32% of Hungarian consumers naming it the most affordable chain, followed by Penny Market (20%) and Aldi (11%). A liter of milk at these discount stores costs 315-400 HUF ($0.97-$1.24), a 500g loaf of fresh white bread runs 400-570 HUF ($1.24-$1.76), and a dozen eggs average 870-1,180 HUF ($2.70-$3.65) depending on whether you choose budget or free-range options. Chicken breast fillets cost 2,000-2,350 HUF ($6.20-$7.28) per kilogram, making protein relatively affordable, while a kilo of white rice averages 550-800 HUF ($1.70-$2.48). Fresh produce is where Budapest truly shines: a kilo of potatoes costs just 200-350 HUF ($0.62-$1.08), onions run 250-380 HUF ($0.77-$1.18), and apples average 400-730 HUF ($1.24-$2.26) per kilo, though seasonal variation significantly affects prices with summer and autumn offering the best deals on local Hungarian fruit and vegetables. Tomatoes fluctuate between 500-1,070 HUF ($1.55-$3.31) per kilo depending on the season, with imported hothouse tomatoes in winter costing more. Spar is the most widespread chain with both full-size stores and convenient small-format Spar Express locations in central Pest, making it ideal for quick top-up shops even if prices are 10-15% higher than Lidl or Aldi. Tesco operates large hypermarkets that are perfect for bulk buying with excellent selection, while the Hungarian chain CBA and its Prima sub-brand tend to be the most expensive option and are best avoided for everyday grocery runs. A kilo of local cheese costs 2,500-3,530 HUF ($7.74-$10.93), beef is 2,600-4,630 HUF ($8.05-$14.33) per kilo, and a head of lettuce averages 250-520 HUF ($0.77-$1.61).

Budapest boasts one of the most comprehensive and affordable public transport networks in Central Europe, operated by BKK (Budapesti Kozlekedesi Kozpont). The system encompasses four metro lines, over thirty tram routes, an extensive bus network, trolleybuses, suburban railway lines (HEV), and even a cogwheel railway and funicular up to the Castle District. A single ticket costs 500 HUF ($1.55), valid for one uninterrupted journey on any mode without transfers; if you need to change lines, opt for the 90-minute transfer ticket at 850 HUF ($2.65), which allows unlimited transfers within the timeframe. Bulk buyers can grab a 10-pack of single tickets for 4,500 HUF ($13.95), bringing the per-ride cost down to about $1.40. For day-trippers or short visits, the 24-hour travelcard costs 2,750 HUF ($8.50) and the 72-hour travelcard is 5,750 HUF ($17.80), both offering unlimited rides across the entire network. For digital nomads staying longer, the monthly Budapest pass at 8,950 HUF ($27.70) is an extraordinary bargain -- among the cheapest unlimited transit passes in any European capital. You can purchase all tickets and passes through the BudapestGO app, which also provides real-time departure information, route planning in English, and digital ticket validation via NFC stickers placed at metro entrances and on surface vehicles. Among the four metro lines, the M2 (red) connects the two main railway stations (Keleti and Deli) and is useful for reaching the Buda side; the M1 (yellow, Europe's oldest underground) runs beneath Andrassy Avenue past the Opera and out to Heroes' Square; the M3 (blue) is the longest line serving the north-south corridor on the Pest side; and the M4 (green), opened in 2014 with fully automated trains, links Kelenfold station in Buda to Keleti station in Pest. Trams 4 and 6, which circle the Grand Boulevard (Nagykorut) 24 hours a day, are arguably the most useful lines for nomads, connecting major hubs like Nyugati station, Oktogon, and Moricz Zsigmond korter, while the iconic Tram 2 runs along the Danube embankment on the Pest side offering stunning views of the Parliament and Buda Castle.

Hungary has three major mobile network operators: Telekom (the local brand of Deutsche Telekom/T-Mobile), Vodafone, and Yettel (formerly Telenor, rebranded in 2022). All three offer prepaid SIM cards that can be purchased at airport shops, downtown brand stores, or electronics retailers -- you will need to show your passport for registration, which is required by Hungarian law. Yettel is generally the best option for digital nomads on prepaid plans: a starter SIM costs just 490 HUF ($1.50), and data top-ups are very affordable at 1,100 HUF ($3.40) for 1 GB, 2,500 HUF ($7.75) for 3 GB, or 3,300 HUF ($10.20) for 5 GB, all valid for 30 days and usable throughout the EU thanks to roaming regulations. Yettel is also the only Hungarian operator currently offering eSIM to prepaid customers, which is a major convenience for nomads with eSIM-compatible phones -- you can purchase and activate instantly by scanning a QR code. Telekom's prepaid offering, called Domino Fix, starts at 990 HUF ($3.05) for 500 MB and 40 minutes, with an option to add 3.5 GB for 3,500 HUF ($10.85); their network is generally regarded as the most reliable in terms of coverage, especially outside Budapest. Vodafone's best value is its unlimited domestic data plan at 11,990 HUF ($37.10) per month, which also includes unlimited calls, SMS, and 30 GB of EU roaming data -- an excellent deal for heavy users who want to never worry about data caps. For those wanting just data, Vodafone offers 5 GB for 3,590 HUF ($11.10). All three networks deliver strong 4G LTE coverage throughout Budapest, with average mobile download speeds around 110 Mbps in the city, and 5G is being progressively rolled out in central areas by Telekom and Vodafone.

Hungary operates a universal public healthcare system funded through the National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK), which provides comprehensive medical services to all residents enrolled in the social security system. For digital nomads and expats who are not enrolled in the public system, public hospitals can still provide emergency care regardless of insurance status -- this is guaranteed by Hungarian law. That said, public healthcare in Budapest comes with notable drawbacks: wait times for non-urgent appointments can stretch to 30 days or more, facilities in state hospitals can feel dated, and the language barrier is significant since most public-sector doctors and nurses speak limited English. For these reasons, the overwhelming majority of expats and remote workers in Budapest rely on the city's excellent private healthcare sector. FirstMed, located on Hattyu utca in District I, is the go-to English-speaking clinic for the international community, staffed entirely by multilingual doctors and offering everything from general practice to specialist consultations, lab work, and vaccinations. Dr. Rose Private Hospital, situated in a striking building on Szechenyi Istvan Square, is a premium facility with over 100 English-speaking doctors, four modern operating rooms, and 44 inpatient rooms -- it handles everything from routine checkups to complex surgeries. Other well-regarded private options include Oktogon Medical Center, Medicare Group, and Swiss Clinic, all centrally located and accustomed to treating international patients. Major public hospitals such as Semmelweis University Hospital, Szent Janos Hospital, and the National Institute of Oncology provide high-quality specialized care but are best navigated with a Hungarian-speaking companion. Budapest has also become a major hub for medical tourism, particularly in dentistry, ophthalmology, and cosmetic surgery, which means that private-sector infrastructure is world-class and competitively priced by Western European standards.

As a member of the Schengen Area, Hungary allows citizens of visa-exempt countries (including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia) to stay for up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period without a visa -- this 90-day clock is shared across all 29 Schengen states, so time spent in Spain, Germany, or any other Schengen country counts against your Hungarian allowance. For digital nomads looking to stay longer, Hungary introduced the White Card digital nomad residence permit, which grants a 12-month stay with the possibility of one 12-month extension, for a maximum of two consecutive years. To qualify for the White Card, you must demonstrate a monthly income of at least EUR 3,000 (approximately $3,150) from remote work for an employer or business based outside Hungary, show savings of at least EUR 10,000, provide proof of accommodation in Hungary, and hold valid health insurance. The application is submitted to the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF), and you must not engage in any gainful employment within Hungary or hold shares in a Hungarian company. Processing typically takes 30-60 days, and the permit fee is modest by European standards. Regarding tax obligations, Hungary applies a flat 15% personal income tax rate, and you become a Hungarian tax resident if you spend 183 days or more in the country within a calendar year -- below that threshold, your Hungarian-sourced income remains negligible as a remote worker and you would primarily owe taxes in your country of tax residency. White Card holders who exceed 183 days should consult a local tax advisor, as Hungary may tax worldwide income and also levies a social contribution tax of 13% on employment income, though the application of this to remote-worker income earned abroad is complex. All foreign nationals staying in Hungary beyond 90 days are required to register their address at the local government office (kormanyhivatal), and even short-stay visitors staying in private accommodation should technically be registered by their host within 72 hours of arrival, though enforcement of this for tourists is minimal.