Cost of Living · KR vs HU
🇰🇷 Seoul vs 🇭🇺 Budapest: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,390 in South Korea vs $1,074 in Hungary — 22.74% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Hungary
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -25.63%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -25.63%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -25.63%
Closest to South Korea prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -7.59%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -8.07%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -8.11%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | South Korea | Hungary | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $937 | $697 (246,064 HUF) | -25.63% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $750 | $557 (196,851 HUF) | -25.63% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,713 | $1,274 (449,943 HUF) | -25.63% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.02 | $8.73 (3,083 HUF) | -20.78% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $45.90 | $36.38 (12,847 HUF) | -20.74% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.04 | $5.70 (2,013 HUF) | -19.03% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.77 | $0.65 (230 HUF) | -15.58% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.24 | $1.89 (667 HUF) | -15.63% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.38 | $2.01 (710 HUF) | -15.55% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.00 | $5.91 (2,087 HUF) | -15.57% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.80 | $2.36 (833 HUF) | -15.71% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.36 | $2.84 (1,003 HUF) | -15.48% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $8.40 | $7.09 (2,504 HUF) | -15.6% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.40 | $1.18 (417 HUF) | -15.71% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $3.67 | $2.91 (1,028 HUF) | -20.71% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.69 | $6.15 (2,172 HUF) | -8.07% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.06 | $2.43 (858 HUF) | -20.59% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.61 | $1.36 (480 HUF) | -15.53% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $41.60 | $33.67 (11,890 HUF) | -19.06% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.76 | $1.42 (501 HUF) | -19.32% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.45 | $1.94 (685 HUF) | -20.82% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.10 | $0.87 (307 HUF) | -20.91% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.79 | $0.73 (258 HUF) | -7.59% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $128 | $104 (36,585 HUF) | -19.06% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $44.80 | $36.26 (12,805 HUF) | -19.06% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $28.80 | $23.31 (8,232 HUF) | -19.06% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $30.60 | $24.25 (8,564 HUF) | -20.75% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $8.57 | $6.79 (2,398 HUF) | -20.77% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $18.36 | $14.55 (5,138 HUF) | -20.75% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $46.01 | $42.28 (14,931 HUF) | -8.11% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $75.29 | $69.18 (24,430 HUF) | -8.12% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $153 | $121 (42,822 HUF) | -20.76% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is Hungary than South Korea?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,074 in Hungary versus $1,390 in South Korea — 22.74% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Hungary?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.91 in Hungary (≈ 1027.64 HUF), versus about $3.67 in South Korea.
- How much is rent in Hungary compared to South Korea?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $697/month in Hungary versus $937/month in South Korea (-25.63%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.