Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Jubail

For one person, living is cheaper in Jubail: $1,093 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,621
/mo nomad
Jubail
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,093
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Jubail

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $1,093 in Jubail, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,621
  • Jubail $1,093

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $1,699 in Jubail, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,555
  • Jubail $1,699

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $2,305 in Jubail, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,489
  • Jubail $2,305

Budapest costs about 48% more than Jubail, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Jubail is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.99 Ft 4,551
$6.72 SAR 25.22
108.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.3 Ft 19.6K
$40.26 SAR 151
49.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 Ft 3,241
$9.30 SAR 34.93
7.10%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.82 SAR 6.82
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.34 SAR 8.78
-
Cappuccino
$3.38 Ft 1,100
$4.03 SAR 15.14
-16.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 Ft 692
$0.98 SAR 3.69
117.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 Ft 608
$0.26 SAR 0.97
619.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 Ft 1,221
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 Ft 1,162
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 Ft 368
$1.52 SAR 5.70
-25.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 Ft 599
$1.40 SAR 5.25
31.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 Ft 777
$1.59 SAR 5.98
50.31%
Eggs
$3.83 Ft 1,245
$2.06 SAR 7.75
85.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 Ft 3,686
$9.90 SAR 37.17
14.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.74 Ft 2,192
$6.45 SAR 24.22
4.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,780
$11.74 SAR 44.07
25.13%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 Ft 597
$2.16 SAR 8.12
-14.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 Ft 653
$1.74 SAR 6.55
15.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 Ft 767
$1.50 SAR 5.62
57.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.77 Ft 1,226
$1.67 SAR 6.26
125.75%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 Ft 313
$1.29 SAR 4.86
-25.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 Ft 334
$1.33 SAR 5.00
-22.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 Ft 509
$1.70 SAR 6.37
-8.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 Ft 216
$0.55 SAR 2.06
20.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.86 SAR 10.72
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.17 SAR 8.16
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.11 SAR 7.91
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,591
$6.51 SAR 24.45
22.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.01 Ft 1,954
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 Ft 421
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 Ft 676
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 Ft 489
$1.30 SAR 4.88
15.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.61 Ft 8,982
$23.68 SAR 88.9
16.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,074
$3.35 SAR 12.58
-1.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 Ft 424
$2.63 SAR 9.86
-50.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.78 Ft 6,436
$13.42 SAR 50.4
47.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 Ft 591
$0.64 SAR 2.39
182.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K Ft 9.5M
$44.8K SAR 168.2K
-34.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K Ft 11.1M
$21.3K SAR 79.9K
60.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 Ft 55.3K
$80.7 SAR 303
110.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.98 Ft 7,802
$27.59 SAR 104
-13.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.42 Ft 7,621
$66.5 SAR 250
-64.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.2 Ft 21.6K
$103 SAR 386
-35.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 Ft 6,239
$40.07 SAR 150
-52.13%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 Ft 3,098
$13.42 SAR 50.4
-29.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$537 Ft 174.6K
$181 SAR 681
195.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K Ft 5.4M
$7,911 SAR 29.7K
109.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 Ft 33.0K
$41.97 SAR 158
141.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.99 Ft 14.0K
$60.3 SAR 226
-28.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 36.7K
$82.3 SAR 309
36.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.6K
$87.5 SAR 329
35.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 Ft 262.0K
$430 SAR 1,614
87.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 204.7K
$298 SAR 1,119
111.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 Ft 504.1K
$648 SAR 2,433
139.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,167 Ft 379.7K
$538 SAR 2,021
116.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,618 Ft 1.8M
$2,805 SAR 10.5K
100.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,968 Ft 1.3M
$1,366 SAR 5,131
190.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Jubail
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,626 Ft 529.0K
$1,622 SAR 6,090
0.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.43
5.62
14.41%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Jubail: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$629
Jubail
$298 52.6% $331
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Jubail
$196 23.8% $61
Eating Out
Budapest
$224
Jubail
$135 39.8% $89
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$217
Jubail
$175 19.6% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$169
Jubail
$122 27.6% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$85
Jubail
$130 52% $44
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Jubail
$45 4.4% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $430 in Jubail. 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 0% 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 $40.00 in Jubail. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $196 – making Jubail the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇸🇦 Jubail
🕒 Local time
13:14 1:14 PM
14:14 2:14 PM
1 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
337,778
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

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).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.238 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Jubail 3,500 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Jubail

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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jubail cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 48%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $1,639 in Jubail. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jubail, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 17% less in Jubail. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $181 in Jubail. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Jubail?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jubail, where all-in costs run around $1,093, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Jubail it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Jubail more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jubail – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Jubail?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jubail. 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.

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