Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kairouan and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $634 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kairouan
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$634
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kairouan 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 Kairouan and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $634 per month in Kairouan vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Kairouan $634
  • Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $975 per month in Kairouan vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Kairouan $975
  • Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,316 per month in Kairouan vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Kairouan $1,316
  • Budapest $3,429

Kairouan is about 61% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Kairouan sits 53% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.66 TND 7.96
$13.94 Ft 4,503
-80.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$15.64 TND 46.83
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
-74.45%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.17 TND 18.49
$10.19 Ft 3,291
-39.45%
Cappuccino
$0.96 TND 2.87
$3.26 Ft 1,055
-70.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 TND 2.39
$2.14 Ft 690
-62.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 TND 1.20
$1.78 Ft 577
-77.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.71 TND 5.11
$3.71 Ft 1,198
-53.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 TND 7.92
$3.77 Ft 1,217
-29.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.45 TND 1.36
$1.15 Ft 371
-60.87%
White Bread (500g)
$0.07 TND 0.22
$1.79 Ft 578
-96.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 TND 5.25
$2.49 Ft 804
-29.72%
Eggs
$1.49 TND 4.45
$3.90 Ft 1,261
-61.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.01 TND 29.97
$11.10 Ft 3,587
-9.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.42 TND 16.22
$6.62 Ft 2,139
-18.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.92 TND 35.70
$14.69 Ft 4,745
-18.86%
Apples (1kg)
$2.19 TND 6.57
$1.83 Ft 591
19.67%
Banana (1kg)
$2.28 TND 6.82
$2.05 Ft 661
11.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.13 TND 3.38
$2.37 Ft 765
-52.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.77 TND 2.30
$3.90 Ft 1,260
-80.26%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 TND 1.94
$0.99 Ft 320
-34.34%
Onion (1kg)
$0.62 TND 1.86
$1.00 Ft 322
-38.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.53 TND 1.57
$1.58 Ft 511
-66.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26 TND 0.78
$0.67 Ft 216
-61.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.34 TND 10.00
$7.96 Ft 2,572
-58.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.85 TND 20.52
$6.22 Ft 2,009
10.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 TND 3.84
$1.27 Ft 411
0.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 TND 4.63
$2.03 Ft 654
-23.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 TND 0.95
$1.52 Ft 490
-78.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.94 TND 29.77
$28.02 Ft 9,053
-64.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 TND 0.86
$3.31 Ft 1,070
-91.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 TND 1.00
$1.37 Ft 442
-75.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.76 TND 5.27
$19.83 Ft 6,406
-91.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 TND 2.39
$1.82 Ft 589
-56.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.1K TND 117.1K
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
31.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.1K TND 108.3K
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
6.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.0 TND 180
$171 Ft 55.3K
-64.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.27 TND 27.77
$23.51 Ft 7,596
-60.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.01 TND 59.9
$23.29 Ft 7,526
-14.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.03 TND 69.0
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
-65.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.53 TND 37.53
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-33.67%
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 TND 13.75
$9.30 Ft 3,004
-50.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$106 TND 317
$533 Ft 172.3K
-80.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,221 TND 9,647
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
-80.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.58 TND 70.6
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
-76.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.1 TND 183
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
40.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$46.83 TND 140
$110 Ft 35.7K
-57.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.5 TND 262
$119 Ft 38.4K
-26.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$116 TND 347
$830 Ft 268.3K
-86.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$155 TND 463
$622 Ft 200.9K
-75.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$372 TND 1,115
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-76.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$271 TND 812
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-76.83%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$953 TND 2,855
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-83.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$609 TND 1,825
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
-84.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kairouan
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$320 TND 959
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-80.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.28
6.45
59.38%

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

Last update for Kairouan: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kairouan
$176
Budapest
$258 46.8% $82
Accommodation & Living
Kairouan
$155
Budapest
$622 302% $467
Clothing & Footwear
Kairouan
$99
Budapest
$168 70% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kairouan
$89
Budapest
$218 144% $129
Eating Out
Kairouan
$70
Budapest
$223 219% $153
Sport & Entertainment
Kairouan
$32
Budapest
$86 167% $54
Getting Around
Kairouan
$13
Budapest
$44 236% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $116 in Kairouan versus $830 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 415% 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 $16.00 in Kairouan versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $258 – making Kairouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Kairouan
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
01:50 1:50 AM
02:50 2:50 AM
1 h ahead of Kairouan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
139,070
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kairouan Budapest 1,510 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Kairouan
  • 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
Kairouan vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budapest cheaper than Kairouan?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 155%, 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 $950 per month in Kairouan and $2,428 in Budapest. 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 Kairouan, 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 182% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $106 per month in Kairouan and $533 in Budapest. 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 Kairouan or in Budapest?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Kairouan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Kairouan or Budapest more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kairouan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Kairouan or Budapest?
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 Kairouan. 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.

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