Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maroua and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Maroua: $352 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 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

Maroua

🇨🇲 Cameroon

$352

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $352 per month in Maroua vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Maroua $352
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $522 per month in Maroua vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Maroua $522
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $693 per month in Maroua vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Maroua $693
Budapest $3,429

Maroua is about 78% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Maroua sits 74% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.94 Ft 4,503

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

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

$2.14 Ft 690

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)

$1.66 FCFA 970

$1.15 Ft 371

44.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 FCFA 505

$1.79 Ft 578

-51.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 FCFA 1,723

$2.49 Ft 804

18.47%

Eggs

$5.80 FCFA 3,380

$3.90 Ft 1,261

48.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.21 FCFA 3,040

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-53.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 FCFA 2,912

$6.62 Ft 2,139

-24.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.33 FCFA 1,941

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-77.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 FCFA 1,018

$1.83 Ft 591

-4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 FCFA 482

$2.05 Ft 661

-59.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 FCFA 511

$2.37 Ft 765

-62.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 FCFA 967

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-57.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 FCFA 1,458

$0.99 Ft 320

152.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 FCFA 1,009

$1.00 Ft 322

73.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Ft 511

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 FCFA 506

$0.67 Ft 216

29.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.96 Ft 2,572

Wine (Bottle)

$11.00 FCFA 6,416

$6.22 Ft 2,009

76.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 FCFA 480

$1.27 Ft 411

-35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 FCFA 1,016

$2.03 Ft 654

-14.29%

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)

$52.0 FCFA 30.3K

$171 Ft 55.3K

-69.61%

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

$8.74 FCFA 5,095

$23.51 Ft 7,596

-62.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.29 Ft 7,526

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.16 FCFA 10.0K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

-74.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.71 FCFA 999

$18.89 Ft 6,104

-90.95%

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)

$86.4 FCFA 50.4K

$622 Ft 200.9K

-86.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 FCFA 90.4K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

-86.75%

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 Maroua: October 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Maroua

–

Budapest

$622 38.4%

Groceries & Markets

Maroua

–

Budapest

$258 15.9%

Eating Out

Maroua

–

Budapest

$223 13.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Maroua

–

Budapest

$218 13.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Maroua

–

Budapest

$168 10.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Maroua

–

Budapest

$86 5.3%

Getting Around

Maroua

–

Budapest

$44 2.7%

Good to know

🇨🇲 Maroua

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

00:34 12:34 AM

01:34 1:34 AM

1 h ahead of Maroua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,119,000

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 583 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Maroua Budapest 4,130 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Maroua
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

Maroua vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 360%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $528 per month in Maroua and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $352 in Maroua and $1,619 in Budapest. That's a gap of about 360%.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maroua, where all-in costs run around $352, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Maroua it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maroua – 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 Maroua. 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.