Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Algiers

For one person, living is cheaper in Algiers: $594 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,621
/mo nomad
Algiers
🇩🇿 Algeria
$594
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Algiers

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 Algiers actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,621 in Budapest versus $594 in Algiers.

  • Budapest $1,621
  • Algiers $594

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,555 in Budapest versus $974 in Algiers.

  • Budapest $2,555
  • Algiers $974

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,489 in Budapest versus $1,354 in Algiers.

  • Budapest $3,489
  • Algiers $1,354

Living in Budapest is roughly 173% more expensive than in Algiers, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Budapest is 21% above, Algiers is 56% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.99 Ft 4,555
$3.45 DZD 461
305.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.3 Ft 19.7K
$28.50 DZD 3,811
111.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 Ft 3,244
$4.28 DZD 572
132.71%
Cappuccino
$3.38 Ft 1,102
$1.11 DZD 149
204.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 Ft 693
$0.60 DZD 80.7
255.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 Ft 609
$0.27 DZD 35.79
592.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 Ft 1,222
$2.23 DZD 298
68.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 Ft 1,163
$2.20 DZD 295
62.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 Ft 369
$0.90 DZD 121
25.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 Ft 600
$0.14 DZD 18.69
1214.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 Ft 777
$1.10 DZD 147
117.27%
Eggs
$3.83 Ft 1,246
$1.26 DZD 168
203.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 Ft 3,689
$7.99 DZD 1,069
41.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.74 Ft 2,194
$4.02 DZD 538
67.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,784
$14.57 DZD 1,949
0.82%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 Ft 598
$2.03 DZD 272
-9.36%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 Ft 654
$2.70 DZD 361
-25.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 Ft 767
$1.07 DZD 144
120.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.77 Ft 1,227
$0.93 DZD 124
305.38%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 Ft 314
$0.58 DZD 77.4
65.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 Ft 335
$0.45 DZD 60.4
128.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 Ft 509
$0.77 DZD 103
102.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 Ft 216
$0.27 DZD 36.38
144.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,594
$3.19 DZD 426
149.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.01 Ft 1,956
$6.53 DZD 874
-7.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 Ft 422
$1.28 DZD 171
1.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 Ft 677
$1.88 DZD 252
10.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 Ft 490
$0.36 DZD 48.47
316.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.61 Ft 8,991
$6.75 DZD 902
309.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,075
$0.55 DZD 73.5
500.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 Ft 424
$0.47 DZD 63.0
176.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.78 Ft 6,442
$5.71 DZD 763
246.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 Ft 591
$0.36 DZD 47.67
402.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K Ft 9.6M
$35.0K DZD 4.7M
-16.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K Ft 11.1M
$33.9K DZD 4.5M
0.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 Ft 55.3K
$43.39 DZD 5,803
291.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.98 Ft 7,809
$9.87 DZD 1,320
142.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.42 Ft 7,628
$12.32 DZD 1,648
90.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.2 Ft 21.6K
$24.45 DZD 3,270
170.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 Ft 6,245
$27.00 DZD 3,612
-28.96%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 Ft 3,101
$4.54 DZD 607
109.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$537 Ft 174.8K
$547 DZD 73.1K
-1.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K Ft 5.4M
$6,264 DZD 837.8K
165.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 Ft 33.0K
$31.71 DZD 4,241
219.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.99 Ft 14.0K
$35.33 DZD 4,725
21.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 36.7K
$69.9 DZD 9,355
61.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.7K
$79.2 DZD 10.6K
49.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 Ft 262.2K
$163 DZD 21.8K
394.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 204.9K
$130 DZD 17.4K
382.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 Ft 504.6K
$440 DZD 58.8K
252.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,167 Ft 380.1K
$244 DZD 32.6K
379.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,618 Ft 1.8M
$2,547 DZD 340.6K
120.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,968 Ft 1.3M
$1,373 DZD 183.6K
189.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Algiers
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,626 Ft 529.5K
$330 DZD 44.1K
392.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.43
5.3
21.32%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Algiers: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$629
Algiers
$130 79.3% $499
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Algiers
$175 32% $82
Eating Out
Budapest
$224
Algiers
$73 67.5% $151
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$217
Algiers
$66 69.8% $152
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$169
Algiers
$97 42.5% $72
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$85
Algiers
$34 60.7% $52
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Algiers
$11 74.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $805 in Budapest and $163 in Algiers. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Budapest pays 393% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Budapest vs $28.00 in Algiers for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $175 per month, with Algiers cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇩🇿 Algiers
🕒 Local time
04:46 4:46 AM
03:46 3:46 AM
1 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
3,415,811 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.48 USD). 1 EUR = 150 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Algiers 1,770 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Algiers

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 Algiers: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Algiers cheaper than Budapest?
Algiers is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Budapest or Algiers?
Average pay runs 393% higher in Budapest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Budapest and Algiers?
Rent for a central apartment: $805 in Budapest versus $163 in Algiers. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Budapest or in Algiers?
Dining out is cheaper in Algiers – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $60.0 in Budapest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Budapest and in Algiers?
All in, you'll spend $1,621 per month in Budapest versus $594 in Algiers – a 173% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Algiers?
At $594 in Algiers versus $1,621 in Budapest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Algiers but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes Algiers the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Budapest or Algiers more family-friendly?
For families, Algiers 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.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Algiers?
Safety-wise, Budapest and Algiers are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Algiers gentler on the wallet – expenses run 173% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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