Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sault Ste. Marie

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,641 a month against $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Sault Ste. Marie
Learn more

Sault Ste. Marie Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,641

/mo nomad

Sault Ste. Marie

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,059

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sault Ste. Marie

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 Sault Ste. Marie actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Budapest vs $2,059 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Budapest $1,641
Sault Ste. Marie $2,059

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Budapest vs $3,008 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Budapest $2,562
Sault Ste. Marie $3,008

A family of three spends $3,483 per month in Budapest vs $3,956 in Sault Ste. Marie, rent included.

Budapest $3,483
Sault Ste. Marie $3,956

Budapest is about 20% cheaper than Sault Ste. Marie, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Budapest and Sault Ste. Marie sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Sault Ste. Marie by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.04 Ft 4,536

$17.17 CA$24.28

-18.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 Ft 19.7K

$70.6 CA$99.8

-13.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 Ft 3,351

$10.23 CA$14.46

1.37%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Ft 1,117

$3.47 CA$4.90

-0.29%

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

$2.07 Ft 669

$1.64 CA$2.32

26.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 Ft 572

$1.35 CA$1.91

31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 Ft 1,191

$4.68 CA$6.62

-21.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 Ft 1,229

$5.00 CA$7.07

-24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 Ft 374

$2.42 CA$3.43

-52.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 Ft 598

$2.14 CA$3.02

-13.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 Ft 776

$3.27 CA$4.63

-26.61%

Eggs

$3.99 Ft 1,289

$2.98 CA$4.22

33.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 Ft 3,683

$8.32 CA$11.76

37.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 Ft 2,221

$9.97 CA$14.10

-31.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 Ft 4,682

$10.51 CA$14.86

37.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 Ft 607

$3.14 CA$4.43

-40.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 Ft 693

$0.99 CA$1.40

116.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 Ft 744

$3.06 CA$4.33

-24.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 Ft 1,304

$3.54 CA$5.01

14.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 329

$1.97 CA$2.79

-48.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$1.69 CA$2.39

-41.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 510

$2.77 CA$3.92

-42.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 225

$1.27 CA$1.79

-44.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.03 Ft 2,594

$15.75 CA$22.26

-49.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 Ft 1,997

$10.67 CA$15.08

-42.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 401

$1.84 CA$2.60

-32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Ft 666

$2.28 CA$3.23

-9.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 Ft 513

$2.24 CA$3.16

-29.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.52 Ft 8,893

$57.5 CA$81.2

-52.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 Ft 1,110

$3.47 CA$4.91

-1.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 Ft 431

$2.31 CA$3.26

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.45 Ft 6,607

$22.97 CA$32.47

-10.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 Ft 624

$1.08 CA$1.52

78.70%

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

$29.1K Ft 9.4M

$26.5K CA$37.5K

9.99%

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

$34.7K Ft 11.2M

$20.3K CA$28.6K

71.38%

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

$175 Ft 56.4K

$174 CA$246

0.20%

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

$23.62 Ft 7,631

$44.36 CA$62.7

-46.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 Ft 7,625

$76.7 CA$108

-69.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 Ft 22.2K

$50.3 CA$71.0

37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 Ft 6,224

$17.62 CA$24.90

9.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.31 Ft 3,333

$11.18 CA$15.80

-7.78%

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

$535 Ft 172.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

$4,984 CA$7,046

237.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.9 Ft 32.3K

$45.63 CA$64.5

118.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.27 Ft 14.0K

$35.58 CA$50.3

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Ft 36.1K

$74.8 CA$106

49.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

$120 CA$170

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$832 Ft 268.8K

$893 CA$1,262

-6.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 203.3K

$931 CA$1,316

-32.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,586 Ft 512.4K

$1,325 CA$1,873

19.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 Ft 386.6K

$1,455 CA$2,057

-17.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,718 Ft 1.8M

$1,868 CA$2,640

206.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,947 Ft 1.3M

$5,432 CA$7,679

-27.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,712 Ft 553.1K

$3,049 CA$4,310

-43.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.53

16.64%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sault Ste. Marie: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.4%

Sault Ste. Marie

$931 45.2% 48% $302

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$262 16%

Sault Ste. Marie

$299 14.5% 14.3% $38

Eating Out

Budapest

$226 13.8%

Sault Ste. Marie

$255 12.4% 12.7% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$222 13.5%

Sault Ste. Marie

$295 14.3% 33.1% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.3%

Sault Ste. Marie

$124 6% 26.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$89 5.5%

Sault Ste. Marie

$73 3.5% 18.9% $17

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Sault Ste. Marie

$81 4% 85.1% $37

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $832 in Budapest versus $893 in Sault Ste. Marie. 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 78% higher in Sault Ste. Marie, 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 $71.0 in Sault Ste. Marie. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $299 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇨🇦 Sault Ste. Marie

🕒 Local time

18:20 6:20 PM

12:20 12:20 PM

6 h behind Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

73,368

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

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Between locations

Budapest Sault Ste. Marie 7,190 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Sault Ste. Marie

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 Sault Ste. Marie: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sault Ste. Marie is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,461 per month in Budapest and $3,089 in Sault Ste. Marie. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 109% less in Budapest. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Sault Ste. Marie, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,641, than in Sault Ste. Marie at $2,059. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sault Ste. Marie it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – 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 Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sault Ste. Marie makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.