Cost of living 2019 in Hungary

Fuel (it's volatile with volatile pricing):

333 HUF/litre 95 unleaded

358 HUF/litre diesel

Source: Auchan

Wat is the Gas (heating at home) per unit price

How much do you pay for an espresso coffee: 330-400 HUF.

How much do you pay for a cinema ticket?- 1800 huf. (Budapest)

How much do you pay for health insurance per month-  private insurance 9000 huf (28 EUR)

How much does it cost to rent an apartment or a house in Hungary? I pay 180.000ft for a 50sqm apartment in oktogon, with a separate kitchen and livingroom, including all the costs ( common costs, water, electricity, heating and internet)

How much do you pay on average for public transportation (bus, subway, train, tram, taxi)? 1 single ticket is 350ft, but if you use it daily it's worth to pay the monthly pass which is 9000ft and let you take every transport as much as you want in that period.

How much do you pay for basic food items such as rice, bread, and pasta? Jasmine rice around 500ft, Italian pasta around 800ft.

What is your monthly budget for groceries? I spend like 8000ft per week.

How much does it cost to see a doctor or health specialist in Hungary? If you go for public health it's free while working here, and a private specialist could be around 15000ft, it depends of what you need.

How much do you pay for health insurance per month? Nothing at the moment, my company pays it for me, it's around 8000ft per month the basic package, only includes some examinations like blood test, dermatology, allergy, etc.

How much does childcare cost on average per month? Don't have kids.

What is your child's schooling budget per month? Don't have kids

How much does it cost to fill up your cars fuel tank? Don't have a car

How much do you pay for electricity/gas/water etc., per month? It's includes in the rental price, but everything it's usually around 20-30k ft.

How much do you pay for your internet and phone subscription? Fixed internet around 8000ft, mobile phone around 7000ft for 5GB.

How much do you pay for your lunch pack on weekdays? 1200ft for a menu

How much do you pay for an espresso coffee? 500-650ft in a nice coffee shop

How much do you pay for a cinema ticket? 1500-2000ft

How much does a gym membership cost in Hungary? Depends of the gym, medium range one around 9000ft

What can I say on the topic, interesting, but my reply is probably deviating from real Hungarian residents. One thing which should be considered for expats is that it is difficult to find fair pricing workers (I do not mind though as long as prices are (much) lower then they were in prior countries.

I am pretty sure that you can live a comfortable life in Hungary (we live close to Heviz) with EUR 1500 pm for a couple. (However I smoke a lot and drink a lot, together with gardeners and workmen EUR 2500 does the trick). (Also 4 cats and a dog). Nothing to complain though, in Luxembourg, Netherlands, UK or Germany the same lifestyle would cost much much more.


Difficult to say what is best, work in Western Europe or semi-retire in Hungary. (I started with age 52), I am happy right now (and still alive).

To be concrete, if I compare our cost of living with eg Numbeo, for us much more expensive than presented.


Marlboro just over EUR 4 per package.(2 per day)

Jameson Whisky EUR 27 per litre

Gardeners, EUR 70 per visit (admittedly 3000 m2) and a lot of trees. (I am fine and even more so my wife)


Restaurant unlike numbeo close to EUR 40 for 2 dishes pp and coffee (but very good). Top retaurants close to 50 including tip.


Gas/Water/Electricity EUR 2500 py (900/600/1000 respecitively).

Shopping groceries EUR 500 pm (no smoking and alcohol)

Car like in Western Europe, |EUR 500 pm (depreciation, gas, taxes, ..)

Taxes, EUR 300 pm (I have my own (consulting) company). As a side effect we pay our social contributions for free.

Perhaps important for other expats and their company (my experience), if you make EUR 2000 pm, your company will do break even, taxes paid and EUR 500  net in total for you and your wife combined.
Quite a big VAT return as attractive extra.
Accountant EUR 100 pm

Much talk on increasing property prices, locally I feel this is very limited but indeed there is an increase, where I live still less then EUR 1.000 per m2.

As an important side remark, not linked to finances, we  have VERY good experiences with our Hungarian and expat neighbours. (Important I have to say).


Summary, living in Hungary is very good.
Drawbacks, where are the non-Hungarian restaurants (Indian, Thai, Dutch (to much stretching), …).
Supermarkets have limited (international) choice.


Good things

Cultural living (concerts, dance,..), good and cheap

Friendly people

In my view not too much of bureaucracy

Good (Hungarian) restaurants

Good climate

Good properties with big plots for very acceptable prices


Seperate topic is of course Healthcare.

It is expected that you pay a bit when you visit a doctor or other medical, I personally am quite happy so far (Cataract and Borrelia). In Luxembourg we paid well over EUR 1000 pm and did not make use of it, here we pay EUR 50 pm, + EUR 10 per visit.

Dentist is very good but you have to pay yourself.

Hungary is cheap for westerns.
No question about it.
If not for the low costs here, I could think of a million other places to live.
We only spend between $600. and $900. per month and have everything covered without feeling a pinch.
We actually are able to save more now as retired people living in HU then we did when my husband owned his own co, and we had a large US home to pay for.
Of course compairing living in a walk up flat in Budapest to a home in the S. Ca. valley with swimming pool and several rooms is not really a fair cost comparison.
Different stages in one's life means different costs and expectations.
Just got back from a long visit in Las Vegas. Had a great time and had more then enough to make it through the months.
Was not however able to save during our visit and we also didn't pay anything major for our upkeep such as rent, auto insurance or home utility bills.
We only paid for food as we wished to for 4 and the rest we spent on gambling, shopping or on small items for my son's home and comfort.
If we had to actually pay for a house payment or rent, it would be an ugly picture.
Some fresh food items in the US are cheaper then in Hungary but overall it is still only about half price for food in HU as to opposed to US prices.
We have looked at pricing in SE Asia and even they cost more monthly to live in then Hungary does.