Cost of Living Comparison Between Saitama and Budapest Cost of Living Comparison Between Saitama and Budapest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Saitama vs $1,463 in Budapest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,830 per month in Saitama vs $2,209 in Budapest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,533 per month in Saitama vs $2,955 in Budapest, rent included.

Saitama is about 23% cheaper than Budapest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Saitama sits 16% below the global median, while Budapest is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 ¥954

$11.48 Ft 3,611

-48.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.39 ¥5,584

$56.4 Ft 17.8K

-39.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥809

$8.73 Ft 2,747

-42.96%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥500

$2.85 Ft 896

8.07%

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

$0.71 ¥115

$1.74 Ft 546

-59.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥121

$1.31 Ft 412

-43.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ¥329

$2.80 Ft 879

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ¥494

$2.93 Ft 922

3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.27 Ft 399

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥270

$1.75 Ft 550

-5.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 ¥477

$2.11 Ft 665

39.34%

Eggs

$2.23 ¥362

$3.16 Ft 994

-29.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ¥1,657

$9.91 Ft 3,116

2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 ¥959

$6.32 Ft 1,987

-6.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 ¥2,520

$13.58 Ft 4,272

14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.95 ¥967

$1.91 Ft 600

211.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥218

$2.00 Ft 629

-33.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 ¥634

$2.15 Ft 677

81.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 ¥959

$3.59 Ft 1,129

64.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥526

$1.12 Ft 353

189.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 ¥285

$1.21 Ft 379

45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ¥218

$1.54 Ft 485

-12.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥132

$0.55 Ft 172

47.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥660

$6.79 Ft 2,136

-40.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.17 ¥1,327

$5.78 Ft 1,818

41.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥287

$1.20 Ft 377

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥329

$1.65 Ft 519

23.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.68 ¥273

$1.27 Ft 400

32.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,898

$25.94 Ft 8,161

111.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 ¥558

$3.26 Ft 1,024

5.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 ¥465

$1.12 Ft 353

156.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.85 ¥3,548

$19.21 Ft 6,043

13.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥191

$1.76 Ft 555

-32.95%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$26.3K Ft 8.3M

-10.59%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$30.7K Ft 9.6M

-40.64%

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

$141 ¥22.9K

$144 Ft 45.2K

-1.82%

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

$19.47 ¥3,161

$26.33 Ft 8,282

-26.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.15 ¥5,545

$20.06 Ft 6,310

70.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 ¥11.2K

$63.2 Ft 19.9K

9.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,234

$21.87 Ft 6,878

-37.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.91 ¥1,934

$8.90 Ft 2,800

33.82%

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

$283 ¥46.0K

$450 Ft 141.6K

-37.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$12.1K Ft 3.8M

13.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.81 ¥6,139

$84.6 Ft 26.6K

-55.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 ¥4,557

$42.60 Ft 13.4K

-34.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.9 ¥9,717

$98.2 Ft 30.9K

-39.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ¥11.1K

$104 Ft 32.6K

-33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ¥69.5K

$715 Ft 224.9K

-40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥42.0K

$560 Ft 176.2K

-53.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 ¥142.4K

$1,339 Ft 421.1K

-34.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 ¥106.4K

$971 Ft 305.4K

-32.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,887 ¥793.4K

$6,062 Ft 1.9M

-19.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,152 ¥349.4K

$4,298 Ft 1.4M

-49.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,474 ¥239.4K

$1,751 Ft 550.8K

-15.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.86

7.03

-73.54%

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

Last update for Saitama: July 12, 2026

Last update for Budapest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Saitama versus $715 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 19% 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 $34.00 in Saitama versus $56.0 in Budapest. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Saitama vs $241 in Budapest – so Budapest wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Saitama vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,691 per month in Saitama and $2,194 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 111% less in Saitama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $283 per month in Saitama and $450 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saitama, where all-in costs run around $1,127, than in Budapest at $1,463. In Saitama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saitama – 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 Saitama. 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.