Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,057 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 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

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Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,057

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jimma and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Jimma vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Jimma $1,057
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $1,424 per month in Jimma vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Jimma $1,424
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $1,792 per month in Jimma vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Jimma $1,792
Budapest $3,489

Jimma is about 35% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 ETB 747

$13.99 Ft 4,551

-66.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 Ft 3,241

Cappuccino

$1.17 ETB 188

$3.38 Ft 1,100

-65.38%

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

$0.59 ETB 95.2

$2.13 Ft 692

-72.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ETB 70.0

$1.87 Ft 608

-76.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 ETB 452

$3.75 Ft 1,221

-25.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ETB 230

$3.57 Ft 1,162

-59.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ETB 185

$1.13 Ft 368

1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 ETB 58.1

$1.84 Ft 599

-80.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$2.39 Ft 777

-53.14%

Eggs

$4.02 ETB 646

$3.83 Ft 1,245

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.33 Ft 3,686

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 ETB 1,847

$6.74 Ft 2,192

70.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 ETB 1,835

$14.69 Ft 4,780

-22.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ETB 370

$1.84 Ft 597

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ETB 180

$2.01 Ft 653

-44.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 ETB 555

$2.36 Ft 767

46.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ETB 93.8

$3.77 Ft 1,226

-84.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ETB 87.7

$0.96 Ft 313

-42.71%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 ETB 538

$1.03 Ft 334

225.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 509

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ETB 93.7

$0.66 Ft 216

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,591

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 ETB 1,065

$6.01 Ft 1,954

10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ETB 187

$1.30 Ft 421

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ETB 234

$2.08 Ft 676

-30.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ETB 35.27

$1.50 Ft 489

-85.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.38 ETB 2,150

$27.61 Ft 8,982

-51.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 Ft 1,074

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 424

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ETB 276

$19.78 Ft 6,436

-91.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 ETB 279

$1.81 Ft 591

-3.87%

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

$51.2K ETB 8.2M

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

74.73%

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

$58.0K ETB 9.3M

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

69.92%

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

$63.4 ETB 10.2K

$170 Ft 55.3K

-62.67%

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

$36.28 ETB 5,829

$23.98 Ft 7,802

51.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$313 ETB 50.3K

$23.42 Ft 7,621

1237.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.06 ETB 5,474

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

-48.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 Ft 6,239

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 Ft 3,098

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

$537 Ft 174.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 Ft 33.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$92.7 ETB 14.9K

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

115.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 ETB 22.3K

$113 Ft 36.7K

23.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 ETB 18.5K

$119 Ft 38.6K

-3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ETB 33.4K

$805 Ft 262.0K

-74.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 ETB 25.7K

$629 Ft 204.7K

-74.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ETB 66.7K

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

-73.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ETB 49.9K

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

-73.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,229 ETB 358.2K

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-60.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 ETB 179.4K

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-71.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$227 ETB 36.5K

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

-86.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

39.97%

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

Last update for Jimma: October 3, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jimma

–

Budapest

$629 38.7%

Groceries & Markets

Jimma

–

Budapest

$258 15.8%

Eating Out

Jimma

–

Budapest

$224 13.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jimma

–

Budapest

$217 13.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Jimma

–

Budapest

$169 10.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Jimma

–

Budapest

$85 5.2%

Getting Around

Jimma

–

Budapest

$43 2.7%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Jimma versus $805 in Budapest. 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 616% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇪🇹 Jimma

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

07:06 7:06 AM

06:06 6:06 AM

1 h behind Jimma

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

207,573

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇪🇹 Ethiopian Birr (Br)

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.55 EUR).

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).

USD to ETB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Jimma Budapest 4,740 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Jimma
Budapest

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

Jimma vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 53%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,585 per month in Jimma and $2,432 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 29% more in Budapest, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Jimma. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jimma, where all-in costs run around $1,057, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Jimma it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jimma – 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 Jimma. 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.