The three budgets, line by line
Typical ranges as at September 2026, for a student sharing a flat outside the city centre. City centre rents in Milan or central Budapest sit well above the top of these bands.
| Item, per month | Italy | Hungary | Bulgaria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room in a shared flat | EUR 250-450 | EUR 180-320 | EUR 150-280 |
| University dormitory, if you get a place | EUR 150-350 | EUR 90-180 | EUR 60-120 |
| Food, cooking at home | EUR 150-250 | EUR 130-200 | EUR 120-180 |
| Transport pass | EUR 15-30 | EUR 9-25 | EUR 5-15 |
| Phone and internet | EUR 10-25 | EUR 8-20 | EUR 8-18 |
| Books, clothes, personal | EUR 60-150 | EUR 50-120 | EUR 40-100 |
| Realistic total | EUR 450-800 | EUR 400-600 | EUR 350-500 |
Those totals are the same ranges the cost calculator uses, and they are the ranges an embassy will expect your proof of funds to cover.
The number that actually decides it: tuition
The monthly gap between Bulgaria and Italy looks like EUR 100-300. Over a year the tuition line moves far more money than that.
| Italy (public) | Hungary | Bulgaria | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition, per year | EUR 0-4,000 | EUR 0-5,000 | EUR 3,000-5,000 |
| Living, 12 months | EUR 5,400-9,600 | EUR 4,800-7,200 | EUR 4,200-6,000 |
| Annual total | EUR 5,400-13,600 | EUR 4,800-12,200 | EUR 7,200-11,000 |
Italian public tuition is assessed on family income, which is why its band starts at zero — but only if the income document is filed correctly. Get it wrong and you are charged the top band by default, which is the single most expensive paperwork mistake in Italy. See the ISEE guide.
In Hungary the zero comes from a scholarship, not from the ordinary fee schedule. A self-funded Hungarian place is a real EUR 3,000-5,000 a year.
What the monthly table hides
Month one is not a normal month. A deposit of one to three months' rent, an agency fee, a mattress and bedding, a winter coat, a residence permit fee and a first tram pass all land in the same fortnight. Budget EUR 1,200-2,000 on top of your first month's rent and you will not be caught out.
Winter heating. In Hungary and Bulgaria a cold January adds EUR 40-90 a month to a private flat's bills. Dormitories usually include it; private landlords usually do not.
Currency. Hungary uses the forint and Bulgaria joined the euro area in January 2026. Euro figures for Hungary are conversions and move with the exchange rate, so a budget built on one month's rate can be several per cent out by spring.
Travel home. Dhaka return flights run roughly EUR 550-900 depending on season and routing. If you plan to go home every year, that is EUR 45-75 a month you have not counted.
Where students actually overspend
- 1Eating out. A EUR 12 meal three times a week is EUR 150 a month — a third of a Bulgarian budget.
- 2Short-let housing. Booking a serviced room for the first month at tourist rates, because nothing was arranged from Dhaka, routinely costs double.
- 3Assuming part-time income. The work rules are real, but so is the language barrier. Assume no income for six months.
How to build a budget that survives contact with reality
- Take the top of every range, not the middle. A budget that only works at the bottom of every band is not a budget.
- Add a 10 per cent buffer and treat it as untouchable.
- Keep three months of living costs available in an account you can reach from Europe, separate from the money shown for the visa.
- Track the first three months line by line. After that you will have a real number for your own city, which beats any article.
Next steps
- 1Run your own numbers in the cost calculator for the specific country and city you are considering.
- 2Read the city article for your destination — the Budapest and Sofia guides price rent by district.
- 3Before you fix on a country, compare the annual totals side by side on the country comparison page.
Official sources — check for yourself
- Eurostat — price levels and household costs
- Study in Italy — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Cost calculator
Rules and figures change. We review these articles periodically and show the date above, but always confirm the current requirement with the official source before you act on it.
Common questions
Which is cheapest overall: Italy, Hungary or Bulgaria?+
Hungary usually has the lowest annual total for a self-funded student, but an Italian public university with a correctly filed income assessment can be cheaper still, because its tuition band starts near zero. Bulgaria has the lowest living costs and the highest floor on tuition. Compare annual totals rather than monthly ones.
How much extra do I need for the first month?+
Plan for EUR 1,200-2,000 on top of the first month's rent. A deposit of one to three months, an agency fee, bedding, a winter coat, the residence permit fee and a transport pass all fall in the first fortnight.
Can part-time work cover a monthly budget in these countries?+
Not in the first year and not without the local language. Italian, Hungarian and Bulgarian student pay runs roughly EUR 3-10 an hour, and finding work takes months. Treat any earnings as reducing your family's burden rather than as a line in the budget.
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