Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $368 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$368

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bahir Dar and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bahir Dar and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $368 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Bahir Dar $368
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $571 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Bahir Dar $571
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $774 per month in Bahir Dar vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Bahir Dar $774
Budapest $3,489

Bahir Dar is about 77% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Bahir Dar sits 73% below the global median, while Budapest is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ETB 560

$13.99 Ft 4,551

-75.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

Cappuccino

$1.02 ETB 163

$3.38 Ft 1,100

-69.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ETB 66.9

$2.13 Ft 692

-80.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ETB 77.4

$1.87 Ft 608

-74.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 125

$3.75 Ft 1,221

-79.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ETB 319

$3.57 Ft 1,162

-44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 ETB 164

$1.13 Ft 368

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 ETB 165

$1.84 Ft 599

-44.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 158

$2.39 Ft 777

-59.00%

Eggs

$1.72 ETB 277

$3.83 Ft 1,245

-55.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 ETB 1,604

$14.69 Ft 4,780

-32.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 ETB 486

$1.84 Ft 597

64.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ETB 156

$2.01 Ft 653

-51.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ETB 317

$2.36 Ft 767

-16.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ETB 134

$3.77 Ft 1,226

-77.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.96 Ft 313

-34.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$1.03 Ft 334

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ETB 157

$1.56 Ft 509

-37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ETB 82.7

$0.66 Ft 216

-22.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

Wine (Bottle)

$3.89 ETB 625

$6.01 Ft 1,954

-35.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ETB 132

$1.30 Ft 421

-36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 ETB 314

$2.08 Ft 676

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 ETB 77.3

$1.30 Ft 424

-63.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 324

$19.78 Ft 6,436

-89.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ETB 158

$1.81 Ft 591

-45.86%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$98.4 ETB 15.8K

$170 Ft 55.3K

-42.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.01 ETB 1,609

$23.98 Ft 7,802

-58.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.08 ETB 7,886

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

-25.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.4 ETB 9,710

$19.18 Ft 6,239

215.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ETB 968

$9.52 Ft 3,098

-36.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$50.3 ETB 8,077

$537 Ft 174.6K

-90.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 ETB 8,099

$101 Ft 33.0K

-50.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,002 ETB 321.7K

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-64.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,488 ETB 239.1K

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-62.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$197 ETB 31.6K

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

-87.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 4, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Groceries & Markets

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Eating Out

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Getting Around

Bahir Dar

–

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 726% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

10:03 10:03 AM

09:03 9:03 AM

1 h behind Bahir Dar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

350,000

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bahir Dar Budapest 4,340 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Bahir Dar
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bahir Dar vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Budapest costs about 341% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $551 per month in Bahir Dar and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $368 in Bahir Dar and $1,621 in Budapest. That's a gap of about 341%.

Groceries cost about 107% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $368, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bahir Dar costs $368 versus $1,621 in Budapest. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.