Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and 'aqrah

For one person, living is cheaper in 'aqrah: $661 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 'aqrah
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'aqrah Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

'aqrah

🇮🇶 Iraq

$661

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in 'aqrah

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,619 in Budapest versus $661 in 'aqrah.

Budapest $1,619
'aqrah $661

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,524 in Budapest versus $1,015 in 'aqrah.

Budapest $2,524
'aqrah $1,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Budapest versus $1,369 in 'aqrah.

Budapest $3,429
'aqrah $1,369

Living in Budapest is roughly 145% more expensive than in 'aqrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,492

$3.62 IQD 5,467

285.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.7K

$21.82 IQD 33.0K

180.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,284

$6.82 IQD 10.3K

49.41%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,052

$2.38 IQD 3,602

36.97%

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

$2.14 Ft 689

$0.32 IQD 485

568.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 575

$0.18 IQD 273

888.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,195

$3.11 IQD 4,706

19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,215

$2.61 IQD 3,945

44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 370

$0.94 IQD 1,416

22.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 576

$0.72 IQD 1,086

148.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 802

$1.46 IQD 2,205

70.55%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,258

$1.70 IQD 2,573

129.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,579

$3.48 IQD 5,252

218.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,134

$4.16 IQD 6,291

59.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,734

$13.31 IQD 20.1K

10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 590

$0.92 IQD 1,383

98.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 660

$0.91 IQD 1,375

125.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 764

$0.77 IQD 1,161

207.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,257

$0.66 IQD 990

490.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.54 IQD 809

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 321

$0.64 IQD 965

56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 510

$0.51 IQD 776

209.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 215

$0.50 IQD 756

34.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,566

$1.57 IQD 2,368

407.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,004

$10.92 IQD 16.5K

-43.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 410

$1.33 IQD 2,003

-4.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 653

$1.85 IQD 2,800

9.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 489

$0.45 IQD 679

237.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,032

$17.50 IQD 26.4K

60.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,067

$1.89 IQD 2,859

75.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 441

$1.39 IQD 2,099

-1.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,391

$5.15 IQD 7,788

285.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 587

$0.48 IQD 727

279.17%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

76.44%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$19.4K IQD 29.3M

74.38%

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

$171 Ft 55.2K

$80.2 IQD 121.1K

113.50%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,579

$13.58 IQD 20.5K

73.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,508

$27.25 IQD 41.2K

-14.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$37.01 IQD 55.9K

82.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,090

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 2,997

$8.39 IQD 12.7K

10.85%

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

$533 Ft 171.9K

$142 IQD 213.9K

276.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$2,656 IQD 4.0M

530.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.1K

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

351.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$23.85 IQD 36.0K

82.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.6K

$47.26 IQD 71.4K

133.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.3K

$31.06 IQD 46.9K

283.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 267.7K

$184 IQD 277.8K

351.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.5K

$141 IQD 213.2K

340.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 513.7K

$358 IQD 541.4K

344.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 377.2K

$278 IQD 419.4K

321.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$779 IQD 1.2M

649.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$642 IQD 970.8K

505.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 532.2K

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 'aqrah: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

'aqrah

$141 21.4% 77.3% $481

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

'aqrah

$160 24.2% 38% $98

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

'aqrah

$101 15.3% 54.8% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

'aqrah

$121 18.3% 44.5% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

'aqrah

$56 8.5% 66.6% $112

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

'aqrah

$54 8.1% 37.5% $32

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

'aqrah

$28 4.3% 36.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Budapest and $184 in 'aqrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $61.0 in Budapest vs $22.00 in 'aqrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $160 per month, with 'aqrah cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇮🇶 'aqrah

🕒 Local time

05:55 5:55 AM

06:55 6:55 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

68,100

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.88 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 = 322 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.76 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,701 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.88 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest 'aqrah 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
'aqrah

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 'aqrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

'aqrah wins on cost – living expenses run 145% lower than in Budapest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making 'aqrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,428 in Budapest and $991 in 'aqrah 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 $184 in 'aqrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,619 per month in Budapest versus $661 in 'aqrah – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in 'aqrah runs roughly 60% less than in Budapest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $661 in 'aqrah versus $1,619 in Budapest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in 'aqrah but tight or insufficient in Budapest. The gap between the two cities makes 'aqrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but 'aqrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $661 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes 'aqrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Budapest and 'aqrah 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 'aqrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 145% less than in Budapest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.