Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mombasa and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Mombasa: $726 a month against $1,621 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Mombasa
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Mombasa Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
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Budapest Living Index

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Mombasa

🇰🇪 Kenya

$726

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,621

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $726 per month in Mombasa vs $1,621 in Budapest, rent included.

Mombasa $726
Budapest $1,621

A couple spends around $1,140 per month in Mombasa vs $2,555 in Budapest, rent included.

Mombasa $1,140
Budapest $2,555

A family of three spends $1,553 per month in Mombasa vs $3,489 in Budapest, rent included.

Mombasa $1,553
Budapest $3,489

Mombasa is about 55% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Mombasa sits 46% below the global median, while Budapest is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 KES 343

$13.99 Ft 4,551

-81.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 KES 3,210

$60.3 Ft 19.6K

-58.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.36 KES 1,343

$9.96 Ft 3,241

4.02%

Cappuccino

$2.75 KES 357

$3.38 Ft 1,100

-18.64%

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

$0.68 KES 88.1

$2.13 Ft 692

-68.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 KES 67.1

$1.87 Ft 608

-72.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 KES 296

$3.75 Ft 1,221

-39.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 KES 432

$3.57 Ft 1,162

-6.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 KES 128

$1.13 Ft 368

-12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 69.3

$1.84 Ft 599

-71.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$2.39 Ft 777

-36.40%

Eggs

$1.75 KES 227

$3.83 Ft 1,245

-54.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.89 KES 1,802

$11.33 Ft 3,686

22.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.92 KES 639

$6.74 Ft 2,192

-27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.42 KES 703

$14.69 Ft 4,780

-63.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 KES 282

$1.84 Ft 597

17.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$2.01 Ft 653

-42.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 KES 230

$2.36 Ft 767

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 KES 91.6

$3.77 Ft 1,226

-81.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.96 Ft 313

-22.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.03 Ft 334

1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KES 78.0

$1.56 Ft 509

-61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KES 59.4

$0.66 Ft 216

-30.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 KES 517

$7.96 Ft 2,591

-49.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.71 KES 1,259

$6.01 Ft 1,954

61.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 KES 250

$1.30 Ft 421

48.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 KES 377

$2.08 Ft 676

39.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.50 Ft 489

-46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.24 KES 5,089

$27.61 Ft 8,982

42.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 KES 411

$3.30 Ft 1,074

-3.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 KES 229

$1.30 Ft 424

35.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 KES 583

$19.78 Ft 6,436

-77.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.81 Ft 591

-12.15%

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

$12.1K KES 1.6M

$29.3K Ft 9.5M

-58.68%

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

$12.2K KES 1.6M

$34.1K Ft 11.1M

-64.36%

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

$76.8 KES 9,958

$170 Ft 55.3K

-54.82%

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

$9.20 KES 1,194

$23.98 Ft 7,802

-61.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.52 KES 4,478

$23.42 Ft 7,621

47.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.03 KES 2,339

$66.2 Ft 21.6K

-72.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.39 KES 2,515

$19.18 Ft 6,239

1.09%

Cinema Ticket

$15.22 KES 1,974

$9.52 Ft 3,098

59.87%

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

$85.5 KES 11.1K

$537 Ft 174.6K

-84.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,377 KES 697.4K

$16.6K Ft 5.4M

-67.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.31 KES 1,727

$101 Ft 33.0K

-86.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.57 KES 1,760

$42.99 Ft 14.0K

-68.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.10 KES 2,996

$113 Ft 36.7K

-79.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.02 KES 5,969

$119 Ft 38.6K

-61.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 KES 30.0K

$805 Ft 262.0K

-71.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 KES 20.3K

$629 Ft 204.7K

-75.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 KES 69.8K

$1,549 Ft 504.1K

-65.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 KES 48.5K

$1,167 Ft 379.7K

-67.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,456 KES 707.6K

$5,618 Ft 1.8M

-2.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,836 KES 497.6K

$3,968 Ft 1.3M

-3.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$318 KES 41.3K

$1,626 Ft 529.0K

-80.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

102.18%

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

Last update for Mombasa: October 4, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mombasa

$186 26%

Budapest

$258 15.8% 38.3% $71

Accommodation & Living

Mombasa

$157 21.8%

Budapest

$629 38.7% 301% $472

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mombasa

$121 16.8%

Budapest

$217 13.4% 80.4% $97

Eating Out

Mombasa

$108 15.1%

Budapest

$224 13.8% 107% $116

Getting Around

Mombasa

$54 7.6%

Budapest

$43 2.7% 20.2% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Mombasa

$48 6.8%

Budapest

$85 5.2% 75.9% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Mombasa

$43 6%

Budapest

$169 10.4% 292% $126

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Mombasa 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 411% 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 $25.00 in Mombasa versus $60.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $258 – making Mombasa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇪 Mombasa

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

08:48 8:48 AM

07:48 7:48 AM

1 h behind Mombasa

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,300,000

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Kenyan Shilling KES Sh

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KES = 7.71 USD

1,000 KES = 6.87 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.07 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.74 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇪 Kenyan Shilling (Sh)

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 145 KES (1,000 KES = 6.87 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 KES in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mombasa Budapest 6,080 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Mombasa
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

Mombasa vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 123%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,089 per month in Mombasa 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 Mombasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 42% less in Mombasa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $85.5 per month in Mombasa and $537 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Budapest at $1,621. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mombasa – 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 Mombasa. 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.