Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Dar es Salaam

For one person, living is cheaper in Dar es Salaam: $715 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 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
34

Cost of Living Index in Dar es Salaam
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Dar es Salaam Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Dar es Salaam

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$715

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Dar es Salaam

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $715 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Dar es Salaam $715

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $1,114 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Dar es Salaam $1,114

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $1,513 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Dar es Salaam $1,513

Budapest costs about 127% more than Dar es Salaam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$1.88 TZS 4,931

644.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$18.70 TZS 49.1K

222.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$7.50 TZS 19.7K

32.80%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$1.93 TZS 5,069

75.13%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$0.35 TZS 910

508.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.22 TZS 578

750.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$1.01 TZS 2,643

271.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$1.90 TZS 4,993

87.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$0.85 TZS 2,232

32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$0.61 TZS 1,596

201.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$1.05 TZS 2,764

127.62%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$2.04 TZS 5,366

87.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$9.13 TZS 24.0K

24.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

44.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$3.99 TZS 10.5K

268.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$2.46 TZS 6,455

-25.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.06 TZS 2,775

89.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$1.08 TZS 2,822

118.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$0.92 TZS 2,412

309.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$0.89 TZS 2,336

7.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$0.99 TZS 2,610

4.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$0.82 TZS 2,160

90.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.39 TZS 1,016

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$2.09 TZS 5,494

280.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$7.27 TZS 19.1K

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$0.94 TZS 2,455

38.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$1.63 TZS 4,267

27.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$0.26 TZS 688

476.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$14.84 TZS 38.9K

86.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$1.68 TZS 4,417

96.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.50 TZS 3,943

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$13.03 TZS 34.2K

51.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$1.37 TZS 3,591

32.12%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$16.8K TZS 44.0M

74.89%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$25.9K TZS 68.0M

31.71%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$56.6 TZS 148.5K

200.30%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$8.88 TZS 23.3K

170.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$34.50 TZS 90.5K

-32.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$85.3 TZS 223.9K

-22.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$10.01 TZS 26.3K

91.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$5.23 TZS 13.7K

82.03%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$568 TZS 1.5M

-5.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$13.4K TZS 35.1M

24.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$15.23 TZS 40.0K

565.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$25.44 TZS 66.8K

68.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$44.69 TZS 117.3K

152.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$60.1 TZS 157.6K

97.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$566 TZS 1.5M

42.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$194 TZS 508.6K

224.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$1,348 TZS 3.5M

14.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$436 TZS 1.1M

167.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

264.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$1,058 TZS 2.8M

275.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$283 TZS 741.9K

475.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

18.25

-64.77%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Dar es Salaam

$194 27.5% 69.2% $435

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Dar es Salaam

$152 21.6% 40.9% $105

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Dar es Salaam

$72 10.2% 68% $152

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Dar es Salaam

$100 14.2% 54% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Dar es Salaam

$65 9.3% 61.3% $104

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Dar es Salaam

$96 13.6% 12.3% $11

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Dar es Salaam

$25 3.6% 42.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $566 in Dar es Salaam. 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 475% 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 $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $152 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam

🕒 Local time

14:13 2:13 PM

15:13 3:13 PM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

5,383,728

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, 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).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2,624 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.81 USD). 1 EUR = 2,940 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Dar es Salaam 6,360 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Dar es Salaam

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 Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 127%, 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 $1,072 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 86% less in Dar es Salaam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $568 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $715, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – 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 Dar es Salaam. 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.