Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

For one person, living is cheaper in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: $953 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
🇴🇲 Oman
$953
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $953 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Madinat As Sultan Qaboos $953

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,433 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Madinat As Sultan Qaboos $1,433

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,914 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Madinat As Sultan Qaboos $1,914

Budapest costs about 70% more than Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Madinat As Sultan Qaboos is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$5.29 OMR 2.04
163.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$39.70 OMR 15.29
54.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$7.76 OMR 2.99
31.31%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$4.94 OMR 1.90
-34.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$0.84 OMR 0.32
154.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.29 OMR 0.11
513.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$12.92 OMR 4.97
-71.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$12.93 OMR 4.98
-70.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$2.31 OMR 0.89
-50.22%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$1.20 OMR 0.46
49.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$1.82 OMR 0.70
36.81%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$3.03 OMR 1.17
28.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$7.11 OMR 2.74
56.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$7.00 OMR 2.70
-5.43%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$10.58 OMR 4.07
38.85%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$3.59 OMR 1.38
-49.03%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$2.03 OMR 0.78
0.99%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$2.34 OMR 0.90
1.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$1.31 OMR 0.50
197.71%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$1.16 OMR 0.45
-14.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$1.28 OMR 0.49
-21.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$1.85 OMR 0.71
-14.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.71 OMR 0.27
-5.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$6.65 OMR 2.56
19.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$15.76 OMR 6.07
-60.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$6.08 OMR 2.34
-79.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$10.22 OMR 3.93
-80.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$3.32 OMR 1.28
-0.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$2.56 OMR 0.98
-46.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$7.74 OMR 2.98
156.20%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$0.64 OMR 0.25
184.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$25.3K OMR 9,736
17.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$22.3K OMR 8,570
51.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$176 OMR 67.9
-2.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$31.16 OMR 12.00
-24.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$71.5 OMR 27.51
-67.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
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
$10.43 OMR 4.01
-10.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$292 OMR 112
82.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$10.5K OMR 4,033
59.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$55.4 OMR 21.33
79.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$43.86 OMR 16.89
-0.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$88.6 OMR 34.12
24.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$88.4 OMR 34.02
34.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5.25
22.86%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
$293 13.6% $35
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
$220 1.4% $3.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
$279 28% $61
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
$124 25.8% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
$21 * 75.8% $65
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
$16 * 63.6% $28

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest versus $40.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $293 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇴🇲 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos
🕒 Local time
10:39 10:39 AM
12:39 12:39 PM
2 h ahead of Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.
Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.433 OMR (1 OMR = 2.31 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Madinat As Sultan Qaboos 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Madinat As Sultan Qaboos

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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Madinat As Sultan Qaboos cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,430 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Budapest or in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Budapest and $40.00 in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Budapest and in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos?
Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madinat As Sultan Qaboos, where all-in costs run around $953, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Madinat As Sultan Qaboos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Madinat As Sultan Qaboos more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Madinat As Sultan Qaboos – 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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos?
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 Madinat As Sultan Qaboos. 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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