Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Taif: $1,239 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Taif
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,239
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Taif vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Taif $1,239
  • Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,827 per month in Taif vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Taif $1,827
  • Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $2,416 per month in Taif vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Taif $2,416
  • Budapest $3,429

Taif is about 23% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Taif sits 8% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.28 SAR 19.82
$13.94 Ft 4,503
-62.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.38 SAR 140
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
-38.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.31 SAR 27.41
$10.19 Ft 3,291
-28.26%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.08 SAR 7.80
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 SAR 5.11
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.23 SAR 8.37
$3.26 Ft 1,055
-31.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 SAR 2.64
$2.14 Ft 690
-67.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 SAR 0.64
$1.78 Ft 577
-90.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.71 Ft 1,198
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.77 Ft 1,217
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 SAR 6.57
$1.15 Ft 371
52.17%
White Bread (500g)
$0.26 SAR 0.97
$1.79 Ft 578
-85.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.34 SAR 8.80
$2.49 Ft 804
-6.02%
Eggs
$2.74 SAR 10.26
$3.90 Ft 1,261
-29.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.97 SAR 22.40
$11.10 Ft 3,587
-46.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.11 SAR 26.68
$6.62 Ft 2,139
7.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.46 SAR 35.50
$14.69 Ft 4,745
-35.60%
Apples (1kg)
$2.38 SAR 8.94
$1.83 Ft 591
30.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 SAR 6.45
$2.05 Ft 661
-16.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 SAR 6.90
$2.37 Ft 765
-22.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.83 SAR 6.86
$3.90 Ft 1,260
-53.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.31 SAR 4.92
$0.99 Ft 320
32.32%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 SAR 5.33
$1.00 Ft 322
42.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 SAR 3.54
$1.58 Ft 511
-40.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 SAR 3.07
$0.67 Ft 216
22.39%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.20 SAR 11.99
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 SAR 5.32
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 SAR 7.50
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.36 SAR 27.63
$7.96 Ft 2,572
-7.54%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.22 Ft 2,009
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.27 Ft 411
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.03 Ft 654
-
🚌 Getting Around
Taif
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.07 SAR 4.03
$1.52 Ft 490
-29.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.19 SAR 136
$28.02 Ft 9,053
29.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.30 SAR 4.86
$3.31 Ft 1,070
-60.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 SAR 7.68
$1.37 Ft 442
49.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.42 SAR 35.34
$19.83 Ft 6,406
-52.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 SAR 2.26
$1.82 Ft 589
-67.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.6K SAR 167.3K
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
49.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8K SAR 78.1K
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
-38.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$138 SAR 519
$171 Ft 55.3K
-19.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.04 SAR 105
$23.51 Ft 7,596
19.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.4 SAR 253
$23.29 Ft 7,526
189.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$145 SAR 543
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
114.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.23 SAR 49.64
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-29.96%
Cinema Ticket
$19.68 SAR 73.9
$9.30 Ft 3,004
111.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$185 SAR 693
$533 Ft 172.3K
-65.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,342 SAR 12.5K
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
-80.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.10 SAR 158
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
-57.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3 SAR 208
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
27.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.5 SAR 358
$110 Ft 35.7K
-13.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 SAR 324
$119 Ft 38.4K
-27.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Taif
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$583 SAR 2,187
$830 Ft 268.3K
-29.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 SAR 1,380
$622 Ft 200.9K
-40.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$803 SAR 3,012
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-49.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$566 SAR 2,124
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-51.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,395 SAR 8,986
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-58.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,368 SAR 5,132
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
-64.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Taif
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,567 SAR 5,880
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-5.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
6.45
-14.11%

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

Last update for Taif: October 10, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Taif
$368
Budapest
$622 69.1% $254
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Taif
$234
Budapest
$218 6.7% $16
Sport & Entertainment
Taif
$184
Budapest
$86 53.2% $98
Groceries & Markets
Taif
$181
Budapest
$258 42.2% $77
Clothing & Footwear
Taif
$126
Budapest
$168 33.3% $42
Eating Out
Taif
$94
Budapest
$223 136% $129
Getting Around
Taif
$52
Budapest
$44 14.9% $7.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $583 in Taif 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 5% 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 $37.00 in Taif versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $258 – making Taif the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Taif
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
03:50 3:50 AM
02:50 2:50 AM
1 h behind Taif
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
579,970
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Taif Budapest 3,490 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Taif
  • 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
Taif vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budapest cheaper than Taif?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,859 per month in Taif 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 Taif, 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 29% less in Taif. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $185 per month in Taif and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Taif or in Budapest?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taif, where all-in costs run around $1,239, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Taif it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Taif or Budapest more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Taif – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Taif 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 Taif. 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.

Taif vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?