Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Meknes

For one person, living is cheaper in Meknes: $683 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Meknes
🇲🇦 Morocco
$683
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Meknes

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $683 in Meknes, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,619
  • Meknes $683

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,051 in Meknes, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,524
  • Meknes $1,051

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,419 in Meknes, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,429
  • Meknes $1,419

Budapest costs about 137% more than Meknes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Meknes is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.94 Ft 4,503
$3.18 MAD 31.03
338.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
$15.67 MAD 153
290.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.19 Ft 3,291
$6.07 MAD 59.2
67.87%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Ft 1,055
$1.21 MAD 11.84
169.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 Ft 690
$0.90 MAD 8.77
137.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 Ft 577
$0.44 MAD 4.32
304.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.71 Ft 1,198
$3.06 MAD 29.86
21.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77 Ft 1,217
$3.66 MAD 35.72
3.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 Ft 371
$0.83 MAD 8.11
38.55%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 Ft 578
$0.39 MAD 3.78
358.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 Ft 804
$1.29 MAD 12.62
93.02%
Eggs
$3.90 Ft 1,261
$1.85 MAD 18.03
110.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.10 Ft 3,587
$11.05 MAD 108
0.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.62 Ft 2,139
$5.32 MAD 51.9
24.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,745
$9.21 MAD 89.8
59.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 Ft 591
$1.20 MAD 11.74
52.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 Ft 661
$1.32 MAD 12.91
55.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.37 Ft 765
$0.64 MAD 6.26
270.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.90 Ft 1,260
$0.72 MAD 7.03
441.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.99 Ft 320
$0.54 MAD 5.25
83.33%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 Ft 322
$0.55 MAD 5.40
81.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 Ft 511
$0.49 MAD 4.75
222.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 Ft 216
$0.55 MAD 5.37
21.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,572
$4.15 MAD 40.42
91.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.22 Ft 2,009
$8.23 MAD 80.3
-24.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 Ft 411
$2.38 MAD 23.23
-46.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 Ft 654
$2.63 MAD 25.65
-22.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 Ft 490
$0.40 MAD 3.90
280.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.02 Ft 9,053
$15.76 MAD 154
77.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 Ft 1,070
$0.69 MAD 6.75
379.71%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 Ft 442
$0.30 MAD 2.91
356.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.83 Ft 6,406
$4.50 MAD 43.90
340.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.82 Ft 589
$1.42 MAD 13.87
28.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
$31.2K MAD 304.3K
-4.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
$30.9K MAD 301.3K
9.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$171 Ft 55.3K
$31.22 MAD 304
448.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.51 Ft 7,596
$9.45 MAD 92.2
148.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.29 Ft 7,526
$34.10 MAD 332
-31.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
$28.52 MAD 278
136.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.89 Ft 6,104
$32.68 MAD 319
-42.20%
Cinema Ticket
$9.30 Ft 3,004
$4.20 MAD 40.96
121.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$533 Ft 172.3K
$123 MAD 1,202
332.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
$5,616 MAD 54.8K
198.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
$60.7 MAD 591
64.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
$44.86 MAD 437
-3.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Ft 35.7K
$93.3 MAD 909
18.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.4K
$59.5 MAD 580
99.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$830 Ft 268.3K
$267 MAD 2,599
211.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 Ft 200.9K
$172 MAD 1,674
262.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
$457 MAD 4,460
248.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
$287 MAD 2,802
307.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
$965 MAD 9,406
504.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
$603 MAD 5,876
545.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Meknes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
$475 MAD 4,632
247.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
4.5
43.33%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Meknes: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$622
Meknes
$172 72.4% $450
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Meknes
$177 31.3% $81
Eating Out
Budapest
$223
Meknes
$86 61.3% $137
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$218
Meknes
$75 65.7% $143
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$168
Meknes
$116 30.6% $51
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$86
Meknes
$37 57.1% $49
Getting Around
Budapest
$44
Meknes
$20 55.8% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $267 in Meknes. 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 248% 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 $16.00 in Meknes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $177 – making Meknes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇲🇦 Meknes
🕒 Local time
15:58 3:58 PM
14:58 2:58 PM
1 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
520,428
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

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).

Moroccan Dirham exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.75 MAD (1 MAD = 0.103 USD). 1 EUR = 10.96 MAD (100 MAD = 9.12 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Meknes 2,550 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Meknes

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 Meknes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meknes cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 137%, 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 $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,024 in Meknes. 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 Meknes, 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 78% less in Meknes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $123 in Meknes. 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 Meknes?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Meknes, where all-in costs run around $683, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Meknes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Meknes more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Meknes – 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 Meknes?
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 Meknes. 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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