Should you visit Budapest or Rome?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Budapest and Rome can help you decide which place is right for you.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.
Rome
Rome is the capital and largest city in Italy. It is also a common entry point for most visitors flying into the country. Rome has been a center of power, culture, and religion for the last millenium, making it one of the most famous and popular destinations in not only Europe, but the world. The influence of the Roman Empire can be seen across continents.
Which city is cheaper, Rome or Budapest?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Budapest is $89, while the average daily cost in Rome is $154. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Budapest and Rome in more detail.
Accommodation
Double occupancy rooms typically run around $98 in Budapest For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
The average price for accommodation for two people in Rome is $158. This is for two people sharing a typical double occupancy hotel room.
Food
Food in Budapest costs travelers about $22 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
In Rome travelers spend around $44 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Budapest $22
Rome $44
Typical Food prices in Budapest
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Lángos (hungarian streetfood) cooking class:
$19
-
Dinner & Cruise on the Danube in Budapest:
$23
-
Traveling Spoon Hungarian Goulash Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Vegan Food Tour / Local delights:
$36
-
Private Budapest Food Tour with a Local Foodie:
$37
-
Live from Hungarian Online Cooking class:
$39
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour Night & The City Budapest:
$47
-
Food Tour in Budapest:
$50
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour of Trendy Budapest:
$51
-
BBQ dinner and a Quiz Night - welcome shots (hungaricums) and 88 craft beers:
$52
-
2-Hours Strudel Cooking Class and Wine Tasting in Central Budapest:
$53
-
Dinner Cruise with Live Music:
$54
Typical Food prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rome:
-
Casual Lunch (for Two)
$17
-
4 Ice Cream Sandwiches
$3.53
-
Cafe e doce
$4.73
-
Pizza (Fast Food)
$3.13
-
Sitdown Lunch (for Two)
$37
-
Cheese and bread
$12
-
Espresso
$2.36
-
Dinner
$69
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rome
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rome.
-
Tours from Home: Pizza Cooking Class with Italian Chefs:
$15
-
Interactive Cooking Experiences with Renowned Chefs All Over the World (in EST):
$22
-
Live from Tagliatelle & Chicken Fricassee Online Cooking Class:
$23
-
Gelato Cooking Class:
$33
-
Virtual Cooking Class: Carbonara, Amatriciana, Pesto & "pasta al dente":
$40
-
5-Course Lunch or Dinner with Roman Jewish Dishes:
$44
-
Street Food Tour with Local Guide:
$44
-
Rome by Night: Bike Tour with Pizza:
$45
-
1.5-Hour Campo de' Fiori to Jewish Quarter Food Tour:
$48
-
2.5-Hour Self-Guided Food Tour in Trastevere:
$48
-
Private Italian dinner in Rome with a selection of local wines:
$51
-
Bitemojo Self Guided Food Tour Artisian Rome:
$55
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Budapest than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $11 on transportation in Budapest on average per day.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $20 per day to get around in Rome.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Budapest
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:
-
Short Taxi Ride
$8.61
-
Metro Pass
$4.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest
Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Airport Transfer Budapest:
$50
-
Airport Transfer Budapest:
$32
-
Airport and Hotel transfer:
$31
-
Airport transfer with guided tour:
$216
-
Arrival Private Transfer Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest City by Luxury Van:
$93
-
Arrival Private Transfer Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest City in Business Car:
$62
-
Arrival Private Transfer Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest City in Standard Car:
$57
-
Budapest - Belgrade Transfer:
$349
-
Budapest - Bratislava Transfer:
$202
-
Budapest - Bratislava transfer:
$180
-
Budapest - Brno (Brno - Budapest) private transfer with a comfortable car / van:
$485
-
Budapest - Bük Transfer:
$171
Typical Local Transportation prices in Rome
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rome:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rome
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rome:
-
Private Transfer by Mercedes and private boat from Rome to Capri all included:
$1,991
-
Private Transfer by Mercedes and private boat from Rome to Capri:
$1,991
-
Private Transfer from Roma to Bologna (BLQ) Airport:
$1,466
-
Transfer From Rome To Amalfi Coast Via Pompei:
$1,365
-
Private Transfer from Roma to Rimini (RMI) Airport:
$1,291
-
Assisi & Orvieto, one day, private transfer:
$1,244
-
Direct Transfer from your Hotel in ROME to your Hotel in LUCCA:
$1,138
-
Private Transfer from Roma to Firenze (FLR) Airport:
$1,132
-
Private Transfer by luxury Mercedes and private boat from Rome to Capri:
$1,120
-
Private Transfer from Rome to Florence: stops in Orvieto, Siena & Monteriggioni:
$1,058
-
Private Transfer from Roma to Pisa (PSA) Airport:
$1,043
-
Private Transfer From Rome Apt To Positano:
$1,023
Is it cheaper to fly into Budapest or Rome?
Prices for flights to both Rome and Budapest change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Budapest, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $23 per day, per person.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $34 per person, per day in Rome. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Budapest
For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
Tours and Activities in Budapest
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.
-
Budapest Private Tour: Buda Castle District Exploration Game:
$3.72
-
Discovering Explore the city's hot pools and heroes on an audio tour:
$5.00
-
Private Budapest Ghost Tour: Haunted City Exploration Game:
$5.65
-
Guided Tour in Budapest Castle District:
$6.22
-
Urban Tour of the Outer viii district Budapest:
$6.22
-
The Legendary Vampires at the Castle's Court Audio Tour:
$6.59
-
Alternative Street Tip Based Walking Tour of Budapest:
$6.77
-
Budapest Downtown and Inner City E-Scooter Tour:
$7.46
-
Skip the Line: Aeropark Aviation Museum Entrance Ticket:
$8.01
-
Robert Capa Contemporary Photograhy Center Visit Ticket:
$8.71
-
Sightseeing Cruise on the Danube with Live Music:
$8.87
-
Danube Cruise in Budapest:
$9.58
Typical Entertainment prices in Rome
Here are a few typical costs in Rome for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Rome Museum Vaticano (for 2)
$82
-
Coliseum Tickets (for Two)
$39
-
Roma Pass
$35
-
Hop on Hop Off Bus (All Day)
$24
-
Segway Tour
$89
Tours and Activities in Rome
Here are a few actual costs in Rome for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
-
“Roman Holiday” Filming Locations: Private Full-Day Tour:
$457
-
1 Day in 10 Iconic Sights, Luxury Car, Skip the line, Lunch, 100% Private:
$785
-
1 hour Little Ancient Tour of Rome by Mini Vintage Cabriolet with Cappuccino:
$156
-
10-Night Italy Tour: Rome, Florence, Venice and Sorrento:
$1,661
-
2 Days Full Train Tour in Florence and Venice:
$1,358
-
2 Hour Private Tour Rome by Night by Car with an English speaking driver:
$299
-
2 in 1 Entire Colosseum Tour & Fast Track Vatican Ticket:
$124
-
2 in 1 Rome and Vatican Full Day Tour:
$123
-
2-Day Best of Rome and Vatican - Luxury Private Tour:
$964
-
2-Day Rome Highlights and Tivoli Private Tour with Pick Up:
$1,369
-
2-Day Venice trip from Rome - private tour:
$908
-
2-Hour Evening Segway Tour of Rome:
$60
Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Budapest, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $16.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Rome may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $17 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest
Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
-
Bingo Bar Crawl:
$15
-
Bingo Bar Crawl:
$15
-
Ultimate Ruin Pub Crawl:
$18
-
Generation Pub Crawl Budapest:
$19
-
Ruin Pub Crawl - Your Keys to the Nightlife of Budapest:
$21
-
Budapest Pub Crawl:
$24
-
Pest side Pub Crawl - Unlimited drinks for an hour, discover hidden ruin pubs:
$25
-
Re-opening Pub Crawls 2020 Summer-Autumn:
$25
-
Budapest Pub Crawl with Skip-the-Line Access:
$26
-
Epic Local Insider Pub Crawl in Budapest - Every weekend:
$30
-
Party Cruise with Pub Crawl option:
$37
-
Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest:
$40
Typical Alcohol prices in Rome
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Rome:
-
Bottle of Wine
$7.68
-
Pint of Beer
$7.49
-
Beer
$12
Sample the Local Flavors in Rome
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rome:
-
3.5-Hour Castelli Romani Wine Tasting Tour:
$50
-
Roman Countryside Vineyards and Wine Tasting:
$67
-
4-Hour Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$69
-
Campo De' Fiori Market and Trevi Food & Wine Tour:
$90
-
4-Hour Food and Wine Tasting Tour:
$91
-
Private Rome Food & Wine Tour with Aperitif on Private Roof Top Terrance:
$100
-
Colosseum Fast Track and Wine Tasting Day Tour:
$119
-
Wine Tour Experience from Rome factory Giglio:
$123
-
Small-Group Food and Wine Tour with Pickup:
$131
-
Lunch, Diner and wine tasting in a shaby chic italian restaurant in Rome:
$135
-
From Frascati 3-Hour Private Wine Tasting Tour:
$147
-
Wine Tasting in Frascati from Rome:
$160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Budapest and Rome, we can see that Rome is more expensive. And not only is Budapest much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Budapest would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Budapest and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Rome would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rome than you might in Budapest.
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