Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Saitama Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Saitama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,126 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,821 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,516 in Saitama, rent included.

Budapest costs about 29% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Saitama is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,504

$6.06 ¥970

89.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$33.98 ¥5,436

67.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,641

$4.78 ¥764

81.17%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 844

$3.04 ¥487

-8.88%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$0.75 ¥120

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 407

$0.69 ¥111

92.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 858

$2.02 ¥324

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 852

$3.13 ¥501

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 368

$1.58 ¥252

-23.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 529

$1.67 ¥268

4.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 636

$3.03 ¥485

-31.35%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 947

$2.24 ¥358

38.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,034

$10.28 ¥1,644

-3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,930

$6.14 ¥983

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,066

$15.59 ¥2,494

-14.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 565

$5.89 ¥942

-68.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 582

$1.34 ¥215

42.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 662

$3.91 ¥626

-44.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,119

$5.90 ¥944

-37.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$3.23 ¥516

-65.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.71 ¥273

-28.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 472

$1.35 ¥216

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 163

$0.88 ¥142

-39.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,072

$4.13 ¥660

64.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,790

$8.49 ¥1,358

-30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.84 ¥295

-33.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 527

$2.14 ¥342

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$1.62 ¥259

-20.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,972

$56.5 ¥9,030

-53.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 994

$3.44 ¥550

-5.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$2.96 ¥473

-61.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,865

$22.04 ¥3,526

-12.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 533

$1.24 ¥198

41.13%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$23.1K ¥3.7M

12.14%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$18.8K ¥3.0M

63.21%

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

$145 Ft 44.3K

$144 ¥23.0K

0.85%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,995

$19.50 ¥3,120

34.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,170

$33.90 ¥5,424

-40.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$67.8 ¥10.8K

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,744

$14.10 ¥2,256

56.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,791

$12.14 ¥1,943

-24.63%

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

$454 Ft 138.4K

$276 ¥44.2K

64.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$13.7K ¥2.2M

-11.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$38.62 ¥6,178

119.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.8K

$27.40 ¥4,383

52.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$60.2 ¥9,630

59.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$69.5 ¥11.1K

53.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 219.2K

$429 ¥68.6K

67.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.6K

$255 ¥40.9K

116.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 413.4K

$858 ¥137.2K

58.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 300.0K

$660 ¥105.6K

49.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$4,524 ¥723.8K

33.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$2,701 ¥432.2K

65.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 559.4K

$1,535 ¥245.6K

19.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

1.86

277.96%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saitama: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $429 in Saitama. 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 19% 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 $57.0 in Budapest versus $34.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Budapest vs $304 in Saitama – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Saitama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 29%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,689 in Saitama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 116% less in Saitama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $276 in Saitama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $1,126, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – 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 Saitama. 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.