Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Bahir Dar

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
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Bahir Dar

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Budapest $1,621
Bahir Dar $368

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

Budapest $2,555
Bahir Dar $571

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

Budapest $3,489
Bahir Dar $774

Budapest costs about 341% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$3.48 ETB 560

302.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$1.02 ETB 163

231.37%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$0.42 ETB 66.9

407.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.48 ETB 77.4

289.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$0.78 ETB 125

380.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$1.99 ETB 319

79.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$1.02 ETB 164

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$1.03 ETB 165

78.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$0.98 ETB 158

143.88%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$1.72 ETB 277

122.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$9.98 ETB 1,604

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$3.03 ETB 486

-39.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$0.97 ETB 156

107.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$1.97 ETB 317

19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$0.83 ETB 134

354.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$0.63 ETB 100

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$1.12 ETB 180

-8.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$0.98 ETB 157

59.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.51 ETB 82.7

29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$3.89 ETB 625

54.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$0.82 ETB 132

58.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$1.95 ETB 314

6.67%

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)

$1.30 Ft 424

$0.48 ETB 77.3

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$2.01 ETB 324

884.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.98 ETB 158

84.69%

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)

$170 Ft 55.3K

$98.4 ETB 15.8K

72.79%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$10.01 ETB 1,609

139.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$49.08 ETB 7,886

34.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$60.4 ETB 9,710

-68.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$6.03 ETB 968

57.88%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$50.3 ETB 8,077

967.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$50.4 ETB 8,099

101.07%

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)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$2,002 ETB 321.7K

180.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$1,488 ETB 239.1K

166.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$197 ETB 31.6K

725.63%

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 Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Bahir Dar

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Bahir Dar

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Bahir Dar

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Bahir Dar

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Bahir Dar

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Bahir Dar

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Bahir Dar

–

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

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇪🇹 Bahir Dar

🕒 Local time

10:49 10:49 AM

11:49 11:49 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

350,000

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

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).

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).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Budapest
Bahir Dar

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 Bahir Dar: 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 $2,432 per month in Budapest and $551 in Bahir Dar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,621 in Budapest and $368 in Bahir Dar. 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.