Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sfax

For one person, living is cheaper in Sfax: $620 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,621
/mo nomad
Sfax
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$620
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sfax

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $620 in Sfax, rent included.

  • Budapest $1,621
  • Sfax $620

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $975 in Sfax, rent included.

  • Budapest $2,555
  • Sfax $975

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $1,329 in Sfax, rent included.

  • Budapest $3,489
  • Sfax $1,329

Budapest costs about 161% more than Sfax, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 21% above the global median, while Sfax is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.99 Ft 4,555
$3.43 TND 10.24
307.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.3 Ft 19.7K
$19.82 TND 59.1
204.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.96 Ft 3,244
$5.03 TND 15.02
98.01%
Cappuccino
$3.38 Ft 1,102
$0.71 TND 2.10
376.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 Ft 693
$0.58 TND 1.73
267.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 Ft 609
$0.27 TND 0.81
592.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.75 Ft 1,222
$1.56 TND 4.66
140.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 Ft 1,163
$2.02 TND 6.03
76.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 Ft 369
$0.50 TND 1.49
126.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 Ft 600
$0.24 TND 0.72
666.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.39 Ft 777
$1.38 TND 4.12
73.19%
Eggs
$3.83 Ft 1,246
$1.56 TND 4.64
145.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 Ft 3,689
$12.32 TND 36.76
-8.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.74 Ft 2,194
$5.76 TND 17.18
17.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.69 Ft 4,784
$13.97 TND 41.70
5.15%
Apples (1kg)
$1.84 Ft 598
$1.77 TND 5.29
3.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 Ft 654
$3.08 TND 9.18
-34.74%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 Ft 767
$1.04 TND 3.11
126.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.77 Ft 1,227
$0.68 TND 2.04
454.41%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 Ft 314
$0.81 TND 2.42
18.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 Ft 335
$0.77 TND 2.29
33.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 Ft 509
$0.58 TND 1.72
168.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 Ft 216
$0.35 TND 1.03
88.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.96 Ft 2,594
$3.87 TND 11.53
105.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.01 Ft 1,956
$6.51 TND 19.41
-7.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30 Ft 422
$1.19 TND 3.56
9.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 Ft 677
$1.04 TND 3.10
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.50 Ft 490
$0.18 TND 0.55
733.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.61 Ft 8,991
$9.98 TND 29.77
176.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.30 Ft 1,075
$0.33 TND 1.00
900.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 Ft 424
$0.34 TND 1.03
282.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.78 Ft 6,442
$7.56 TND 22.56
161.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.81 Ft 591
$0.83 TND 2.47
118.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K Ft 9.6M
$36.5K TND 109.0K
-19.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K Ft 11.1M
$34.9K TND 104.2K
-2.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 Ft 55.3K
$44.47 TND 133
282.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.98 Ft 7,809
$9.43 TND 28.14
154.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.42 Ft 7,628
$14.85 TND 44.31
57.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.2 Ft 21.6K
$27.37 TND 81.7
142.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 Ft 6,245
$7.32 TND 21.85
162.02%
Cinema Ticket
$9.52 Ft 3,101
$4.46 TND 13.30
113.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$537 Ft 174.8K
$98.6 TND 294
444.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K Ft 5.4M
$2,470 TND 7,370
572.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 Ft 33.0K
$42.94 TND 128
136.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.99 Ft 14.0K
$36.43 TND 109
18.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 Ft 36.7K
$114 TND 340
-0.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 Ft 38.7K
$66.2 TND 198
79.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$805 Ft 262.2K
$194 TND 579
315.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$629 Ft 204.9K
$135 TND 404
364.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,549 Ft 504.6K
$340 TND 1,013
356.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,167 Ft 380.1K
$217 TND 649
436.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,618 Ft 1.8M
$1,020 TND 3,043
451.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,968 Ft 1.3M
$745 TND 2,224
432.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Budapest
Sfax
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,626 Ft 529.5K
$327 TND 976
397.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.43
13.6
-52.72%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sfax: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Budapest
$629
Sfax
$135 78.5% $494
Groceries & Markets
Budapest
$258
Sfax
$193 25% $64
Eating Out
Budapest
$224
Sfax
$66 70.4% $158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Budapest
$217
Sfax
$69 68.4% $149
Clothing & Footwear
Budapest
$169
Sfax
$117 31% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Budapest
$85
Sfax
$36 57.5% $49
Getting Around
Budapest
$43
Sfax
$13 70.6% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $194 in Sfax. 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 397% 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 $60.0 in Budapest versus $20.00 in Sfax. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $193 – making Sfax the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇭🇺 Budapest
🇹🇳 Sfax
🕒 Local time
07:07 7:07 AM
06:07 6:07 AM
1 h behind Budapest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,686,222 Capital
955,421
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 326 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.98 TND (1 TND = 0.335 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.299 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Budapest Sfax 1,580 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Budapest
  • Sfax

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 Sfax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sfax cheaper than Budapest?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 161%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $931 in Sfax. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfax, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 177% less in Sfax. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $98.6 in Sfax. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Budapest or in Sfax?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sfax, where all-in costs run around $620, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Sfax it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Budapest or Sfax more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sfax – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Budapest or Sfax?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sfax. 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.

Budapest vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?