Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sakakah

For one person, living is cheaper in Sakakah: $1,188 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Sakakah
Learn more

Sakakah Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Sakakah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,188

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sakakah

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $1,188 in Sakakah, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Sakakah $1,188

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,756 in Sakakah, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Sakakah $1,756

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $2,324 in Sakakah, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Sakakah $2,324

Budapest costs about 36% more than Sakakah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Sakakah is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$5.73 SAR 21.49

143.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$37.30 SAR 140

64.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$8.20 SAR 30.76

24.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$3.50 SAR 13.13

-6.86%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.68 SAR 2.55

214.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.32 SAR 1.19

456.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-33.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$1.31 SAR 4.91

36.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$2.33 SAR 8.75

6.87%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.35 SAR 8.80

65.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$7.41 SAR 27.81

49.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$8.08 SAR 30.31

-18.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$12.76 SAR 47.89

15.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$2.23 SAR 8.36

-17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.76 SAR 6.60

16.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$1.59 SAR 5.98

49.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.58 SAR 5.93

146.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.17 SAR 4.39

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-21.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$1.21 SAR 4.55

30.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.54 SAR 2.01

24.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$6.72 SAR 25.22

18.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$1.09 SAR 4.08

39.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$37.36 SAR 140

-25.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$2.62 SAR 9.84

26.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$13.31 SAR 49.96

48.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$0.60 SAR 2.26

203.33%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$44.8K SAR 168.1K

-33.46%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

59.71%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$105 SAR 393

63.52%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$32.57 SAR 122

-27.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$66.0 SAR 248

-64.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$80.3 SAR 301

-15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$13.30 SAR 49.89

-30.08%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$417 SAR 1,565

27.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$8,055 SAR 30.2K

108.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$43.19 SAR 162

130.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$55.4 SAR 208

-21.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$97.4 SAR 366

13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$85.7 SAR 321

38.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$573 SAR 2,150

44.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$378 SAR 1,417

64.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$821 SAR 3,081

94.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$566 SAR 2,123

106.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$2,363 SAR 8,868

146.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$1,366 SAR 5,125

184.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$949 SAR 3,562

73.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.54

16.43%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Sakakah

$378 31.8% 39.3% $244

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Sakakah

$203 17.1% 21.2% $55

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Sakakah

$116 9.8% 47.8% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Sakakah

$203 17.1% 6.7% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Sakakah

$127 10.7% 24.4% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Sakakah

$107 9% 24.1% $21

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Sakakah

$54 4.5% 21.5% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $573 in Sakakah. 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 74% 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 $37.00 in Sakakah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $203 – making Sakakah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇸🇦 Sakakah

🕒 Local time

08:26 8:26 AM

09:26 9:26 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

242,813

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Budapest Sakakah 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

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Budapest
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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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,428 per month in Budapest and $1,782 in Sakakah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 33% less in Sakakah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $417 in Sakakah. 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 Sakakah, where all-in costs run around $1,188, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Sakakah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sakakah – 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 Sakakah. 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.