Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Al Kazimiyah

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah: $663 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,500 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
32

Cost of Living Index in Al Kazimiyah
Learn more

Al Kazimiyah Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Al Kazimiyah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$663

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Al Kazimiyah

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $663 in Al Kazimiyah.

Budapest $1,619
Al Kazimiyah $663

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $1,020 in Al Kazimiyah.

Budapest $2,524
Al Kazimiyah $1,020

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $1,377 in Al Kazimiyah.

Budapest $3,429
Al Kazimiyah $1,377

Living in Budapest is roughly 144% more expensive than in Al Kazimiyah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 20% above, Al Kazimiyah is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$4.03 IQD 6,085

245.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$20.21 IQD 30.5K

202.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$6.52 IQD 9,857

56.29%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.65 IQD 4,012

23.02%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.37 IQD 558

478.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.19 IQD 280

836.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$3.19 IQD 4,820

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$3.00 IQD 4,535

25.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.15 IQD 1,737

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.63 IQD 948

184.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.34 IQD 2,022

85.82%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.32 IQD 1,998

195.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$3.46 IQD 5,229

220.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$4.00 IQD 6,045

65.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$13.07 IQD 19.8K

12.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$0.92 IQD 1,384

98.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$0.98 IQD 1,481

109.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$0.94 IQD 1,423

152.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$0.61 IQD 920

539.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.53 IQD 794

86.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.60 IQD 909

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.65 IQD 986

143.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.56 IQD 847

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$1.66 IQD 2,503

379.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$10.41 IQD 15.7K

-40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.32 IQD 1,994

-3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$1.67 IQD 2,526

21.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.46 IQD 688

230.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$19.40 IQD 29.3K

44.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$1.81 IQD 2,737

82.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.33 IQD 2,016

3.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$5.28 IQD 7,983

275.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.64 IQD 960

184.38%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$15.1K IQD 22.9M

97.01%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$18.6K IQD 28.2M

81.32%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$76.4 IQD 115.5K

123.89%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$10.42 IQD 15.7K

125.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$26.50 IQD 40.0K

-12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$40.93 IQD 61.9K

64.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$9.51 IQD 14.4K

-2.21%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$133 IQD 201.2K

300.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$2,546 IQD 3.8M

558.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$18.56 IQD 28.0K

436.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$19.90 IQD 30.1K

118.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$42.76 IQD 64.6K

158.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$29.35 IQD 44.3K

305.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$187 IQD 282.2K

344.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$144 IQD 217.4K

332.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$353 IQD 533.7K

351.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$292 IQD 441.6K

300.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$768 IQD 1.2M

659.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$529 IQD 799.0K

635.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.33

93.69%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Al Kazimiyah

$144 21.7% 76.9% $478

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Al Kazimiyah

$158 23.9% 38.7% $100

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Al Kazimiyah

$108 16.3% 51.6% $115

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Al Kazimiyah

$113 17.1% 48% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Al Kazimiyah

$50 7.5% 70.3% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Al Kazimiyah

$60 9.1% 30.4% $26

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Al Kazimiyah

$30 4.5% 32.9% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $187 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Budapest vs $20.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $158 per month, with Al Kazimiyah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇶 Al Kazimiyah

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

19:40 7:40 PM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Al Kazimiyah 2,630 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Al Kazimiyah

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

Budapest vs Al Kazimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,428 in Budapest and $994 in Al Kazimiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $830 in Budapest versus $187 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $61.0 in Budapest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $663 in Al Kazimiyah – a 144% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $663 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,619 in Budapest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Budapest, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Budapest and Al Kazimiyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 144% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.