Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Essaouira

For one person, living is cheaper in Essaouira: $782 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Essaouira
Learn more

Essaouira Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Essaouira

🇲🇦 Morocco

$782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Essaouira

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $782 in Essaouira, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Essaouira $782

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,172 in Essaouira, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Essaouira $1,172

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,562 in Essaouira, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Essaouira $1,562

Budapest costs about 107% more than Essaouira, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Essaouira is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$4.62 MAD 45.00

201.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$18.81 MAD 183

225.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$7.12 MAD 69.4

43.12%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$1.35 MAD 13.14

141.48%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.47 MAD 4.58

355.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.38 MAD 3.68

368.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$5.31 MAD 51.8

-30.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$4.61 MAD 44.93

-18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$0.90 MAD 8.79

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.54 MAD 5.25

231.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.67 MAD 16.28

49.10%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.68 MAD 16.37

132.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$8.27 MAD 80.6

34.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$5.81 MAD 56.6

13.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$10.62 MAD 104

38.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.30 MAD 12.63

40.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.14 MAD 11.12

79.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$0.72 MAD 7.02

229.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$0.77 MAD 7.52

406.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.58 MAD 5.67

70.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.68 MAD 6.66

47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.38 MAD 3.67

315.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.58 MAD 5.68

15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.84 MAD 37.44

107.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$6.32 MAD 61.6

-1.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$1.82 MAD 17.76

-30.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$2.13 MAD 20.77

-4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.82 MAD 7.99

85.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.64 MAD 6.22

417.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.63 MAD 6.19

117.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.45 MAD 14.16

25.52%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$34.6K MAD 337.3K

-13.86%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$29.5K MAD 287.8K

14.56%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$23.89 MAD 233

616.28%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$17.25 MAD 168

36.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$30.01 MAD 293

-22.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$5.30 MAD 51.7

75.47%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$69.0 MAD 672

673.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$1,875 MAD 18.3K

793.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$29.38 MAD 286

239.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$44.72 MAD 436

-2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$59.0 MAD 576

86.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$41.76 MAD 407

184.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$393 MAD 3,835

111.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$330 MAD 3,217

88.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$930 MAD 9,071

71.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$557 MAD 5,433

110.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$256 MAD 2,498

544.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.5

-0.77%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Essaouira: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Essaouira

$330 42.2% 47% $292

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Essaouira

$171 21.9% 33.6% $87

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Essaouira

$114 14.5% 49% $109

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Essaouira

$71 9.1% 67.3% $147

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Essaouira

$79 10.1% 53% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Essaouira

$11 * 1.4% 87.7% $76

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Essaouira

$7.1 * 0.9% 84% $37

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $393 in Essaouira. 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 544% 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 $61.0 in Budapest versus $19.00 in Essaouira. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $171 – making Essaouira the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇲🇦 Essaouira

🕒 Local time

20:13 8:13 PM

19:13 7:13 PM

1 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

77,966

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Essaouira 3,020 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Essaouira

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 Essaouira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 107%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,173 in Essaouira. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $19.00 in Essaouira. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Essaouira, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Essaouira it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Essaouira – 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 Essaouira. 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.