Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Muscat

For one person, living costs are similar in Budapest and in Muscat: $1,621 and $1,565 a month, rent and utilities included.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Muscat
Learn more

Muscat Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Muscat

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,565

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Muscat

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $1,565 in Muscat, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Muscat $1,565

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $2,341 in Muscat, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Muscat $2,341

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $3,116 in Muscat, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Muscat $3,116

Budapest costs about 4% more than Muscat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Budapest and Muscat sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Muscat by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$5.23 OMR 2.01

167.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$39.68 OMR 15.28

52.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$7.64 OMR 2.94

30.37%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-31.99%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$0.85 OMR 0.33

150.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.27 OMR 0.10

592.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$12.92 OMR 4.97

-70.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-73.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$2.26 OMR 0.87

-50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$1.18 OMR 0.45

55.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$1.89 OMR 0.73

26.46%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$2.91 OMR 1.12

31.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$7.23 OMR 2.78

56.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$6.86 OMR 2.64

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$10.63 OMR 4.09

38.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$3.66 OMR 1.41

-49.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$1.95 OMR 0.75

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$2.40 OMR 0.92

-1.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$1.26 OMR 0.49

199.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$1.22 OMR 0.47

-21.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.70 OMR 0.27

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$6.36 OMR 2.45

25.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$15.54 OMR 5.98

-61.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$6.00 OMR 2.31

-78.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-79.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$1.29 OMR 0.50

16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-64.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$3.30 OMR 1.27

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$2.56 OMR 0.99

-49.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$7.82 OMR 3.01

152.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.63 OMR 0.24

187.30%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$25.7K OMR 9,907

13.97%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$23.0K OMR 8,864

48.15%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$177 OMR 68.2

-4.00%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$30.49 OMR 11.74

-21.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$71.6 OMR 27.57

-67.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$61.1 OMR 23.53

8.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

$29.78 OMR 11.46

-35.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$10.45 OMR 4.02

-8.90%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$282 OMR 109

90.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$10.4K OMR 4,004

59.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$57.6 OMR 22.17

75.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$43.41 OMR 16.71

-0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$91.2 OMR 35.12

23.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$85.9 OMR 33.06

38.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$690 OMR 265

16.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$453 OMR 174

38.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$1,292 OMR 498

19.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$819 OMR 315

42.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$2,815 OMR 1,084

99.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$1,609 OMR 619

146.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$1,651 OMR 636

-1.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

5.25

22.48%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Muscat: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Muscat

$453 29.3% 28% $176

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Muscat

$291 18.8% 13% $34

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Muscat

$220 14.2% 1.9% $4.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Muscat

$279 18% 28.4% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Muscat

$125 8.1% 26% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Muscat

$82 5.3% 3.8% $3.3

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Muscat

$98 6.4% 127% $55

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $690 in Muscat. 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 2% higher in Muscat, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Budapest versus $40.00 in Muscat. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $291 in Muscat – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇴🇲 Muscat

🕒 Local time

07:15 7:15 AM

09:15 9:15 AM

2 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

1,090,797 Capital

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

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).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.432 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Muscat 4,370 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Muscat

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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 4%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $2,347 in Muscat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 179% less in Muscat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $282 in Muscat. 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 Muscat, where all-in costs run around $1,565, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Muscat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Muscat – 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 Muscat. 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.