Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Sohar

For one person, living is cheaper in Sohar: $1,403 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Budapest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index
69

Cost of Living Index in Sohar
Learn more

Sohar Living Index

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Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Sohar

🇴🇲 Oman

$1,403

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Sohar

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

A single person spends $1,621 per month in Budapest vs $1,403 in Sohar, rent included.

Budapest $1,621
Sohar $1,403

A couple spends around $2,555 per month in Budapest vs $2,068 in Sohar, rent included.

Budapest $2,555
Sohar $2,068

A family of three spends $3,489 per month in Budapest vs $2,734 in Sohar, rent included.

Budapest $3,489
Sohar $2,734

Budapest costs about 16% more than Sohar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Budapest and Sohar sit above the global median – Budapest by 21%, Sohar by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.99 Ft 4,551

$6.48 OMR 2.50

115.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

$20.49 OMR 7.89

194.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

$9.19 OMR 3.54

8.38%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Ft 1,100

$4.77 OMR 1.84

-29.14%

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

$2.13 Ft 692

$0.64 OMR 0.25

232.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 Ft 608

$0.28 OMR 0.11

567.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 Ft 1,221

$13.24 OMR 5.10

-71.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 Ft 1,162

$14.46 OMR 5.57

-75.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 Ft 368

$2.11 OMR 0.81

-46.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 Ft 599

$1.11 OMR 0.43

65.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 Ft 777

$3.23 OMR 1.24

-26.01%

Eggs

$3.83 Ft 1,245

$2.74 OMR 1.05

39.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

$13.31 OMR 5.12

-14.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 Ft 2,192

$9.30 OMR 3.58

-27.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,780

$14.55 OMR 5.60

0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 Ft 597

$3.22 OMR 1.24

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 Ft 653

$2.19 OMR 0.84

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Ft 767

$2.49 OMR 0.96

-5.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.77 Ft 1,226

$1.22 OMR 0.47

209.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 313

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-44.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 334

$1.79 OMR 0.69

-42.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

$1.70 OMR 0.66

-8.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 Ft 216

$0.90 OMR 0.35

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

$5.83 OMR 2.25

36.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 Ft 1,954

$25.80 OMR 9.93

-76.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 Ft 421

$3.79 OMR 1.46

-65.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 Ft 676

$8.71 OMR 3.35

-76.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 489

$2.63 OMR 1.01

-42.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.61 Ft 8,982

$51.1 OMR 19.65

-45.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

$3.19 OMR 1.23

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

$1.58 OMR 0.61

-17.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 Ft 6,436

$10.21 OMR 3.93

93.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 591

$0.60 OMR 0.23

201.67%

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

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

$18.4K OMR 7,101

59.01%

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

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

$20.3K OMR 7,830

67.71%

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

$170 Ft 55.3K

$102 OMR 39.41

66.04%

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

$23.98 Ft 7,802

$29.06 OMR 11.19

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.42 Ft 7,621

$90.2 OMR 34.72

-74.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

$49.40 OMR 19.02

34.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

$11.56 OMR 4.45

-17.65%

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

$303 OMR 117

77.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

$7,070 OMR 2,722

134.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

$50.1 OMR 19.30

102.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

$43.95 OMR 16.92

-2.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 Ft 36.7K

$78.4 OMR 30.18

43.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.6K

$46.23 OMR 17.80

156.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 Ft 262.0K

$503 OMR 194

60.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 Ft 204.7K

$378 OMR 146

66.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

$827 OMR 319

87.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

$665 OMR 256

75.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

$1,178 OMR 454

376.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

$765 OMR 295

418.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

$2,514 OMR 968

-35.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.33

1.58%

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

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Last update for Sohar: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Sohar

$378 26.5% 39.9% $251

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Sohar

$346 24.3% 34.3% $88

Eating Out

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Sohar

$235 16.5% 5% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Sohar

$222 15.6% 2% $4.3

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Sohar

$98 6.9% 41.8% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Sohar

$73 5.1% 15% $13

Getting Around

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Sohar

$73 5.1% 67.3% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $805 in Budapest versus $503 in Sohar. 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 55% higher in Sohar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Budapest versus $20.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $258 in Budapest vs $346 in Sohar – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇴🇲 Sohar

🕒 Local time

13:59 1:59 PM

15:59 3:59 PM

2 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

221,605

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Omani Rial OMR ر.ع.

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

1 OMR = 2.6 USD

1 OMR = 2.32 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

OMR, USD, EUR to HUF – Hungarian Forint Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇺 Hungarian Forint (Ft)

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 325 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD). 1 EUR = 365 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR).

Omani Rial exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.385 OMR (1 OMR = 2.6 USD). 1 EUR = 0.431 OMR (1 OMR = 2.32 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Budapest Sohar 4,200 km ≈ 6 h 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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,432 per month in Budapest and $2,104 in Sohar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 85% less in Sohar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Budapest and $303 in Sohar. 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 Sohar, where all-in costs run around $1,403, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Sohar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sohar – 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 Sohar. 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.