Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Dakar

For one person, living is cheaper in Dakar: $1,429 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 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
69

Cost of Living Index in Dakar
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Dakar Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Dakar

🇸🇳 Senegal

$1,429

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Dakar

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $1,429 in Dakar, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Dakar $1,429

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $2,206 in Dakar, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Dakar $2,206

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $2,983 in Dakar, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Dakar $2,983

Budapest costs about 13% more than Dakar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Budapest and Dakar sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Dakar by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$5.25 F CFA 3,071

166.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$52.7 F CFA 30.8K

14.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$11.01 F CFA 6,444

-9.54%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$3.28 F CFA 1,921

3.05%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$1.25 F CFA 729

70.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.85 F CFA 499

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$2.62 F CFA 1,535

43.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$4.31 F CFA 2,521

-17.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$2.50 F CFA 1,465

-54.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$0.75 F CFA 439

145.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$1.67 F CFA 979

43.11%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$2.40 F CFA 1,403

59.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$17.32 F CFA 10.1K

-34.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$9.12 F CFA 5,336

-26.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$11.17 F CFA 6,533

31.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$3.18 F CFA 1,858

-42.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.92 F CFA 1,126

4.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$2.87 F CFA 1,681

-17.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$1.73 F CFA 1,011

117.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$1.39 F CFA 812

-30.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$0.91 F CFA 535

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$1.10 F CFA 643

41.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.65 F CFA 380

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$2.11 F CFA 1,236

277.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$16.95 F CFA 9,919

-64.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$1.60 F CFA 937

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$3.36 F CFA 1,966

-38.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$0.41 F CFA 240

265.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$77.5 F CFA 45.3K

-64.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$2.12 F CFA 1,243

55.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$2.19 F CFA 1,282

-40.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$17.08 F CFA 9,996

15.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$1.70 F CFA 992

6.47%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$50.4K F CFA 29.5M

-41.86%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$47.7K F CFA 27.9M

-28.53%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$200 F CFA 117.1K

-15.12%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$11.58 F CFA 6,774

107.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$46.09 F CFA 27.0K

-49.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$44.68 F CFA 26.1K

48.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$23.24 F CFA 13.6K

-17.47%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$8.56 F CFA 5,010

11.21%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$325 F CFA 189.9K

65.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$10.3K F CFA 6.0M

61.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$58.1 F CFA 34.0K

74.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$46.29 F CFA 27.1K

-7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$83.9 F CFA 49.1K

34.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$95.1 F CFA 55.6K

24.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$824 F CFA 482.2K

-2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$436 F CFA 255.4K

44.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$1,757 F CFA 1.0M

-11.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$915 F CFA 535.6K

27.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$4,961 F CFA 2.9M

13.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$1,492 F CFA 872.9K

165.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$343 F CFA 200.9K

373.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

8.75

-26.51%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Dakar: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Dakar

$436 30.9% 30.6% $193

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Dakar

$294 20.8% 14.2% $37

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Dakar

$145 10.2% 35.5% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Dakar

$258 18.2% 18.7% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Dakar

$128 9% 24.6% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Dakar

$62 4.4% 27.5% $23

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Dakar

$92 6.5% 112% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $824 in Dakar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 374% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Budapest versus $53.0 in Dakar. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $294 in Dakar – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇸🇳 Dakar

🕒 Local time

06:54 6:54 AM

04:54 4:54 AM

2 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

2,396,800 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, 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).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.52 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Dakar 4,960 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Dakar

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 Dakar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $2,144 in Dakar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dakar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 181% less in Dakar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $325 in Dakar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dakar, where all-in costs run around $1,429, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Dakar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dakar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dakar. 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.