Cost Of Living For a Student in Budapest 2025

Average monthly spending for students in Budapest

How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Budapest?

Students in Budapest spend around 410,000 HUF per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 63,000 HUF or as high as 2.8M HUF. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

How do students spend their money in Budapest?

We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for students

Students in Budapest typically spend from 14% to 25% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 19% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 99,000 HUF with expenditure ranging from 15,000 HUF to 660,000 HUF. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Budapest ranges from 4% to 10% of total expenses with 6% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 17,000 HUF with 2,500 HUF and 110,000 HUF being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 4,400 HUF to 190,000 HUF in a month on commuting with 29,000 HUF being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Budapest is 83,000 HUF. The cost of groceries can range between 13,000 HUF to 550,000 HUF. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students

Students in Budapest allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 3,800 HUF to 170,000 HUF with 25,000 HUF being the norm for most students.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for students

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 3,200 HUF to 140,000 HUF with 21,000 HUF being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 7% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most students.

Education and schooling expenditure for students

Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 79,000 HUF per month with 12,000 HUF being the minimum spent amount and 520,000 HUF being the maximum.

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Budapest

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Budapest?

Around 72% of surveyed students think that living in Budapest is affordable with proper budgeting while 28% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Low-cost alternatives in Budapest

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options65%

Few low-cost options35%

Based on the survey, 65% of the students living in Budapest have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 35% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

Emergency Funds For Students

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Budapest whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes72%

No28%

Based on the survey, 28% of the students living in Budapest said that they don't have an emergency fund while 72% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in Hungary

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy61%

We asked student guardians and parents in Budapest whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 39% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 61% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether students of Hungary have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 30% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 70% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance30%

Easily manages finances70%

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Budapest

Rent Cost in Budapest

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

71,000 HUF

110,000 HUF

280,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$200

$290

$780

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

110,000 HUF

170,000 HUF

430,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$290

$470

$1,200

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

140,000 HUF

210,000 HUF

570,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$390

$590

$1,600

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

170,000 HUF

280,000 HUF

780,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$470

$780

$2,100

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

340,000 HUF

850,000 HUF

1.7M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$940

$2,300

$4,700

Townhouse monthly rent cost

280,000 HUF

430,000 HUF

1.2M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$780

$1,200

$3,300

House monthly rent cost

340,000 HUF

850,000 HUF

1.7M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$940

$2,300

$4,700

Villa monthly rent cost

430,000 HUF

1.1M HUF

1.7M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,200

$2,900

$4,700

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Budapest ranges between 71,000 HUF and 280,000 HUF, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 110,000 HUF to 430,000 HUF. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 140,000 HUF and 570,000 HUF per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 170,000 HUF to 780,000 HUF. The average rent of a townhouse in Budapest is around 430,000 HUF while house rental costs can be as high as 850,000 HUF per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 430,000 HUF to 1.7M HUF per month.

Apartment and house prices in Budapest

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

14M HUF

21M HUF

43M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$39,000

$59,000

$120,000

1-bedroom apartment price

17M HUF

28M HUF

110M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$47,000

$78,000

$290,000

2-bedroom apartment price

28M HUF

85M HUF

170M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$78,000

$230,000

$470,000

3-bedroom apartment price

95M HUF

140M HUF

430M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$260,000

$390,000

$1.2M

Townhouse price

120M HUF

280M HUF

1,100M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$330,000

$780,000

$2.9M

House price

140M HUF

850M HUF

1,200M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$390,000

$2.3M

$3.3M

Villa price

170M HUF

950M HUF

1,400M HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$470,000

$2.6M

$3.9M

The average price of a studio apartment in Budapest can range from 14M HUF to 43M HUF depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 17M HUF to 110M HUF. A villa can cost you 950M HUF on average with prices ranging from 170M HUF to 1,400M HUF.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Budapest can be x120 to x224 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x120 multiples of the average monthly salary in Budapest.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Budapest is around 34%. This means that people pay 34% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 23% to 45% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Budapest

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Budapest

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student

2,500 HUF

17,000 HUF

110,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$6.9

$45

$300

Internet and cable cost

3,900 HUF

7,800 HUF

10,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$11

$21

$28

Mobile phone bill and charges

3,100 HUF

5,200 HUF

16,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$8.5

$14

$43

The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 17,000 HUF. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 3,900 HUF to 10,000 HUF with 7,800 HUF being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 5,200 HUF but can range between 3,100 HUF and 16,000 HUF depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Budapest is around 6.5%. This means that people pay 6.5% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3.3% to 11% depending on salary and location.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Budapest

Prices and cost of goods and services in Budapest

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

780 HUF

1,600 HUF

2,600 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.1

$4.3

$7.1

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Budapest is approximatly 1,600 HUF with meal cost ranging from 780 HUF to 2,600 HUF. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

2,700 HUF

4,100 HUF

8,200 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$7.4

$11

$22

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 2,700 HUF and 8,200 HUF with 4,100 HUF being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Budapest.

Fine dining meal for one price

5,400 HUF

8,200 HUF

33,000 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$15

$22

$89

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 5,400 HUF to 33,000 HUF with the average cost being 8,200 HUF for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Budapest.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

650 HUF

1,000 HUF

1,600 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.8

$2.8

$4.3

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Budapest is around 1,000 HUF. Price ranges between 650 HUF and 1,600 HUF depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

520 HUF

620 HUF

780 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.4

$1.7

$2.1

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Budapest is 620 HUF. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 780 HUF and the minimum being 520 HUF depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

390 HUF

520 HUF

780 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.1

$1.4

$2.1

A dozen eggs costs around 520 HUF on average with 390 HUF and 780 HUF being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

880 HUF

1,100 HUF

1,600 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.4

$3.1

$4.4

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Budapest is between 880 HUF and 1,600 HUF depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 1,100 HUF.

Pack of beef price

1,000 HUF

1,600 HUF

3,100 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.8

$4.3

$8.5

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 1,600 HUF. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

420 HUF

570 HUF

810 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.1

$1.6

$2.2

A bag of rice in Budapest costs around 570 HUF on average with prices rangeing between 420 HUF and 810 HUF depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

160 HUF

210 HUF

390 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.43

$0.57

$1.1

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 160 HUF to 390 HUF. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

280 HUF

360 HUF

600 HUF

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.76

$0.99

$1.6

A bag of apples costs 360 HUF on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Budapest is around 28%. This means that students spend 28% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 20% to 35% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for students