Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maharagama and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $131 a month against $1,647 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $18,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$131

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,647

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $131 per month in Maharagama vs $1,647 in Budapest, rent included.

Maharagama $131
Budapest $1,647

A couple spends around $246 per month in Maharagama vs $2,567 in Budapest, rent included.

Maharagama $246
Budapest $2,567

A family of three spends $361 per month in Maharagama vs $3,488 in Budapest, rent included.

Maharagama $361
Budapest $3,488

Maharagama is about 92% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Maharagama sits 90% below the global median, while Budapest is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 LKR 1,761

$13.63 Ft 4,419

-61.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.24 LKR 6,731

$60.7 Ft 19.7K

-66.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 LKR 2,219

$10.02 Ft 3,248

-33.43%

Cappuccino

$2.11 LKR 702

$3.33 Ft 1,078

-36.64%

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

$0.64 LKR 213

$2.12 Ft 686

-69.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 LKR 95.2

$1.80 Ft 583

-83.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 Ft 1,169

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 Ft 1,163

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 LKR 288

$1.12 Ft 362

-22.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 LKR 76.0

$1.93 Ft 624

-88.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.50 LKR 167

$2.49 Ft 806

-79.92%

Eggs

$1.42 LKR 473

$3.94 Ft 1,278

-63.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 Ft 3,656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.73 Ft 2,183

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 Ft 4,682

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 603

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 660

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 Ft 742

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 Ft 1,294

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 Ft 305

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 331

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.65 Ft 536

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 Ft 221

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.81 Ft 2,533

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 Ft 1,952

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 Ft 419

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 Ft 656

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 Ft 485

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 Ft 8,792

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 LKR 146

$3.36 Ft 1,088

-86.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 LKR 154

$1.37 Ft 445

-66.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 Ft 6,468

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 Ft 604

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

$28.5K Ft 9.2M

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

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

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

$178 Ft 57.8K

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

$4.55 LKR 1,513

$23.58 Ft 7,643

-80.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.38 LKR 4,449

$24.12 Ft 7,817

-44.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 Ft 22.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.03 Ft 5,520

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 Ft 3,397

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

$625 Ft 202.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K Ft 6.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 Ft 33.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 Ft 14.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Ft 35.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Ft 39.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 Ft 274.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 Ft 206.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 LKR 65.9K

$1,609 Ft 521.5K

-87.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 Ft 394.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,555 Ft 1.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,898 Ft 1.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 79.7K

$1,724 Ft 559.0K

-86.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

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

Last update for Maharagama: October 31, 2026

Last update for Budapest: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$638 38.8%

Groceries & Markets

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$260 15.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$226 13.7%

Eating Out

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$220 13.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$169 10.3%

Sport & Entertainment

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$91 5.5%

Getting Around

Maharagama

–

Budapest

$43 2.6%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Budapest are about 7.2 times higher, 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 $20 in Maharagama versus $61 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $19 vs $260 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

01:53 1:53 AM

4 h 30 min behind Maharagama

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

196,400

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 324 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.09 USD). 1 EUR = 364 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

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Between locations

Maharagama Budapest 7,290 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Maharagama
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

Maharagama vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 1160%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $196 per month in Maharagama and $2,471 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1294% more in Budapest, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Maharagama and $61 in Budapest. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Budapest at $1,647. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Maharagama costs $131 versus $1,647 in Budapest. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.