Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sale

For one person, living is cheaper in Sale: $635 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Sale
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Sale Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Sale

🇲🇦 Morocco

$635

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sale

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $635 in Sale, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Sale $635

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $1,044 in Sale, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Sale $1,044

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $1,453 in Sale, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Sale $1,453

Budapest costs about 155% more than Sale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Sale is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$3.63 MAD 35.42

284.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

$17.82 MAD 174

243.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

$7.19 MAD 70.1

41.72%

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$1.76 MAD 17.20

85.23%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.60 MAD 5.81

256.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

$0.32 MAD 3.16

456.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 Ft 1,198

$2.63 MAD 25.63

41.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 Ft 1,217

$3.05 MAD 29.76

23.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 Ft 371

$0.90 MAD 8.77

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

$0.65 MAD 6.36

175.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$1.90 MAD 18.57

31.05%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$1.86 MAD 18.10

109.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

$11.31 MAD 110

-1.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$6.89 MAD 67.2

-3.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$12.38 MAD 121

18.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

$1.34 MAD 13.05

36.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$1.18 MAD 11.48

73.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

$0.84 MAD 8.23

182.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$0.90 MAD 8.76

333.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.68 MAD 6.62

45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

$0.73 MAD 7.15

36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

$0.47 MAD 4.58

236.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.62 MAD 6.03

8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$3.75 MAD 36.51

112.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$4.74 MAD 46.23

31.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$2.23 MAD 21.75

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

$2.13 MAD 20.81

-4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

$0.55 MAD 5.32

176.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

$23.03 MAD 225

21.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

$0.69 MAD 6.78

379.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

$0.50 MAD 4.85

174.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

$4.03 MAD 39.30

392.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

$1.48 MAD 14.46

22.97%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

$31.0K MAD 301.9K

-3.78%

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

$30.8K MAD 300.4K

9.73%

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

$37.71 MAD 368

353.78%

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$10.53 MAD 103

123.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$40.93 MAD 399

-43.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

$16.62 MAD 162

306.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

$40.69 MAD 397

-53.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

$5.29 MAD 51.6

75.80%

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

$104 MAD 1,010

415.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$5,903 MAD 57.6K

183.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

$32.27 MAD 315

208.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

$46.59 MAD 454

-6.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

$71.9 MAD 701

53.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$66.4 MAD 648

79.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

$208 MAD 2,025

299.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

$102 MAD 994

509.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

$356 MAD 3,473

347.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

$260 MAD 2,532

350.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

$1,126 MAD 11.0K

417.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

$838 MAD 8,167

364.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

$516 MAD 5,033

219.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

29.00%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sale: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Sale

$102 16.1% 83.6% $520

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Sale

$195 30.8% 24.2% $63

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Sale

$95 14.9% 57.5% $128

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Sale

$89 14.1% 59.1% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Sale

$98 15.4% 41.7% $70

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Sale

$27 4.3% 68.4% $59

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Sale

$28 4.5% 35.8% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $830 in Budapest versus $208 in Sale. 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 220% 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 $18.00 in Sale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $195 – making Sale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇲🇦 Sale

🕒 Local time

20:33 8:33 PM

19:33 7:33 PM

1 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

890,403

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Moroccan Dirham MAD د.م.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

100 MAD = 10.26 USD

100 MAD = 9.12 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

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).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Sale 2,620 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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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 Sale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 155%, 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 $952 in Sale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 22% less in Sale. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Budapest and $104 in Sale. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sale, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Sale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sale – 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 Sale. 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.