Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Toliara

For one person, living is cheaper in Toliara: $173 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Toliara

🇲🇬 Madagascar

$173

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Budapest and in Toliara

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

A single person spends $1,619 per month in Budapest vs $173 in Toliara, rent included.

Budapest $1,619
Toliara $173

A couple spends around $2,524 per month in Budapest vs $260 in Toliara, rent included.

Budapest $2,524
Toliara $260

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Budapest vs $347 in Toliara, rent included.

Budapest $3,429
Toliara $347

Budapest costs about 836% more than Toliara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Budapest sits 20% above the global median, while Toliara is 87% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

$1.81 MGA 8,267

670.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 Ft 3,291

Cappuccino

$3.26 Ft 1,055

$0.75 MGA 3,434

334.67%

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

$2.14 Ft 690

$0.63 MGA 2,864

239.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 Ft 577

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

$1.42 MGA 6,472

-19.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 Ft 578

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 Ft 804

$0.38 MGA 1,722

555.26%

Eggs

$3.90 Ft 1,261

$2.10 MGA 9,575

85.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 Ft 3,587

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 Ft 2,139

$4.62 MGA 21.1K

43.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 Ft 4,745

$4.78 MGA 21.8K

207.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 591

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 661

$0.67 MGA 3,061

205.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 765

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 Ft 1,260

$1.69 MGA 7,708

130.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 320

$0.48 MGA 2,205

106.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 Ft 322

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 Ft 216

$0.68 MGA 3,096

-1.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

$1.72 MGA 7,838

362.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 Ft 2,009

$5.43 MGA 24.7K

14.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 Ft 411

$0.69 MGA 3,154

84.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 Ft 654

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 Ft 490

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 Ft 1,070

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 Ft 442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 Ft 6,406

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 Ft 589

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

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

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

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

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

$171 Ft 55.3K

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

$23.51 Ft 7,596

$16.30 MGA 74.3K

44.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

$32.77 MGA 149.5K

-28.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.89 Ft 6,104

Cinema Ticket

$9.30 Ft 3,004

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

$533 Ft 172.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 Ft 38.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 Ft 268.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 Ft 200.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

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

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Last update for Toliara: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Toliara

–

Groceries & Markets

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Toliara

–

Eating Out

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Toliara

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Toliara

–

Clothing & Footwear

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Toliara

–

Sport & Entertainment

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Toliara

–

Getting Around

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Toliara

–

Good to know

🇭🇺 Budapest

🇲🇬 Toliara

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

07:23 7:23 AM

1 h ahead of Budapest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,686,222 Capital

168,756

💱 Currency

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

Malagasy Ariary MGA Ar

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD

10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MGA, 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).

Malagasy Ariary exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4,562 MGA (10,000 MGA = 2.19 USD). 1 EUR = 5,128 MGA (10,000 MGA = 1.95 EUR).

USD to HUF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Budapest Toliara 8,260 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Budapest
Toliara

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 Toliara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 836%, 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 $260 in Toliara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,619 in Budapest and $173 in Toliara. That's a gap of about 836%.

Groceries cost about 163% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Toliara, where all-in costs run around $173, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Toliara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Toliara – 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 Toliara. 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.