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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,721 per month in Budapest vs $983 in Saitama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,708 per month in Budapest vs $1,315 in Saitama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,695 per month in Budapest vs $1,646 in Saitama, rent included.

Budapest costs about 75% more than Saitama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Budapest sits 25% above the global median, while Saitama is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.35 Ft 4,465

$5.61 ¥872

155.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 Ft 19.7K

$30.87 ¥4,804

105.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 Ft 3,493

$4.75 ¥739

136.42%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Ft 1,058

$2.98 ¥464

14.09%

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

$2.14 Ft 667

$0.71 ¥111

201.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 632

$0.59 ¥92.2

244.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 Ft 1,162

$2.48 ¥386

50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Ft 1,179

$3.08 ¥480

23.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 381

$1.41 ¥220

-12.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 Ft 593

$1.72 ¥268

11.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 Ft 803

$2.77 ¥432

-6.86%

Eggs

$4.14 Ft 1,287

$1.97 ¥307

110.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 Ft 3,868

$11.85 ¥1,844

4.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 Ft 2,146

$5.34 ¥831

29.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.36 Ft 4,777

$14.55 ¥2,265

5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 Ft 645

$5.55 ¥864

-62.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 676

$2.20 ¥343

-1.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 776

$2.77 ¥431

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.11 Ft 1,278

$4.06 ¥633

1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 322

$2.51 ¥391

-58.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 310

$1.54 ¥239

-35.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 Ft 494

$1.26 ¥196

26.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 212

$0.72 ¥112

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,609

$3.69 ¥574

127.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.38 Ft 1,984

$6.35 ¥989

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 414

$1.72 ¥268

-22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 Ft 701

$1.99 ¥310

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 Ft 491

$3.35 ¥521

-52.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.78 Ft 8,954

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,110

$3.11 ¥485

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 Ft 445

$2.46 ¥382

-41.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 Ft 6,405

$20.32 ¥3,163

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 Ft 582

$1.05 ¥164

78.10%

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

$31.8K Ft 9.9M

$21.6K ¥3.4M

47.45%

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

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

$14.5K ¥2.3M

148.48%

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

$173 Ft 54.0K

$131 ¥20.4K

32.41%

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

$25.97 Ft 8,080

$17.94 ¥2,792

44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.25 Ft 7,855

$31.96 ¥4,974

-20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.7 Ft 22.3K

$61.9 ¥9,629

15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 Ft 5,975

Cinema Ticket

$9.76 Ft 3,038

$10.82 ¥1,683

-9.80%

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

$577 Ft 179.5K

$633 ¥98.6K

-8.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K Ft 5.5M

$14.4K ¥2.2M

22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 Ft 33.2K

$34.98 ¥5,444

205.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.23 Ft 13.8K

$24.53 ¥3,818

80.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Ft 36.2K

$55.4 ¥8,622

109.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Ft 37.5K

$61.4 ¥9,560

96.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 Ft 267.1K

$409 ¥63.7K

109.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Ft 208.8K

$226 ¥35.1K

197.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 Ft 520.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 Ft 403.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,081 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,164 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,709 Ft 531.6K

$1,517 ¥236.1K

12.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

2.06

224.27%

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

Last update for Budapest: August 29, 2026

Last update for Saitama: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $858 in Budapest versus $409 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 13% 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 $63.0 in Budapest versus $31.00 in Saitama. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Budapest vs $278 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 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,581 per month in Budapest and $1,475 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Budapest and $31.00 in Saitama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Budapest – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Budapest at $1,721. 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.