Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Kajang, Selangor

For one person, living is cheaper in Kajang, Selangor: $988 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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
46

Cost of Living Index in Kajang, Selangor
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Kajang, Selangor Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Kajang, Selangor

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$988

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Kajang, Selangor

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $988 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Kajang, Selangor $988

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,448 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Kajang, Selangor $1,448

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,909 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Kajang, Selangor $1,909

Budapest costs about 64% more than Kajang, Selangor, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Kajang, Selangor is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$3.76 MYR 15.34

270.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$18.63 MYR 76.0

228.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$4.81 MYR 19.62

111.85%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$2.96 MYR 12.09

10.14%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.80 MYR 3.26

167.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.47 MYR 1.92

278.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$4.35 MYR 17.76

-14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$6.08 MYR 24.81

-37.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.69 MYR 6.88

-31.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.05 MYR 4.28

70.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.43 MYR 5.84

74.13%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.66 MYR 6.78

134.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$17.84 MYR 72.8

-37.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$4.56 MYR 18.62

45.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$9.80 MYR 39.98

49.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$3.41 MYR 13.91

-46.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.69 MYR 6.88

21.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$2.32 MYR 9.48

2.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.53 MYR 6.23

154.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.34 MYR 5.46

-26.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.65 MYR 6.73

-39.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.13 MYR 4.60

39.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.51 MYR 2.09

31.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$4.36 MYR 17.79

82.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$13.93 MYR 56.8

-55.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.86 MYR 11.65

-55.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$3.11 MYR 12.68

-34.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.76 MYR 3.08

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$12.29 MYR 50.1

127.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$1.21 MYR 4.92

173.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.71 MYR 2.91

92.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$4.94 MYR 20.16

301.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.82 MYR 3.35

121.95%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$42.3K MYR 172.7K

-29.61%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$35.3K MYR 143.9K

-4.12%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$52.5 MYR 214

226.13%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$9.92 MYR 40.45

137.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$26.35 MYR 107

-11.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$44.80 MYR 183

50.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$7.53 MYR 30.73

150.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$4.91 MYR 20.05

89.41%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$166 MYR 677

221.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$4,418 MYR 18.0K

279.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$54.6 MYR 223

82.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$16.33 MYR 66.6

166.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$81.6 MYR 333

35.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$97.2 MYR 396

22.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$396 MYR 1,615

109.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$337 MYR 1,375

84.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$744 MYR 3,035

114.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$502 MYR 2,047

133.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,919 MYR 7,828

203.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,012 MYR 4,129

284.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.06

58.87%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Kajang, Selangor

$337 34.1% 45.8% $285

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Kajang, Selangor

$256 25.9% 0.8% $2.1

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Kajang, Selangor

$119 12.1% 46.6% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Kajang, Selangor

$89 9% 59.3% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Kajang, Selangor

$112 11.4% 33% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Kajang, Selangor

$55 5.5% 36.6% $31

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Kajang, Selangor

$20 2% 54.6% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $396 in Kajang, Selangor. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $256 – making Kajang, Selangor the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇲🇾 Kajang, Selangor

🕒 Local time

06:17 6:17 AM

12:17 12:17 PM

6 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,047,356

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Kajang, Selangor 9,220 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Kajang, Selangor

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 Kajang, Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 64%, 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 $1,482 in Kajang, Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 128% less in Kajang, Selangor. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $166 in Kajang, Selangor. 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 Kajang, Selangor, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Kajang, Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kajang, Selangor – 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 Kajang, Selangor. 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.