Earn Here, Spend ThereWhat is this money worth over there?
Compare cities › Budapest vs Osaka
Budapest vs Osaka cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
ðŸ‡ðŸ‡º Budapest
🇯🇵 OsakaOsaka is 6% cheaper than Budapest
Living on $2,978 a month in Budapest feels like about $2,726 in Osaka — same standard of living, compared by feel rather than exchange rate.
Per day
$178 vs $173
Per month
$2,978 vs $2,726
Local meal
Ft 3,600 vs ¥ 900
$10 vs $6.08
Taxi 5 km
Ft 3,600 vs ¥ 2,500
$10 vs $16.9
At a glance
FoodOsaka 32% cheaper
Cafés & drinksBudapest 25% cheaper
TransportBudapest 32% cheaper
StayOsaka 12% cheaper
FunBudapest 29% cheaper
- Where Osaka is clearly cheaper: Local meal (39%↓), Street food (38%↓), Convenience store (34%↓)
- Where Budapest is clearly cheaper: SIM card (47%↓), Half-day tour (41%↓), Taxi (41%↓)
Item by item
| Item | Budapest | Osaka | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Ft 3,600$10 | ¥ 900$6.08 | Osaka −39% |
| Street food1 item | Ft 1,600$4.44 | ¥ 410$2.77 | Osaka −38% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Ft 9,000$25 | ¥ 3,000$20.3 | Osaka −19% |
| Coffeeone cup | Ft 900$2.5 | ¥ 500$3.38 | Budapest −26% |
| Beerone bottle | Ft 1,000$2.78 | ¥ 550$3.72 | Budapest −25% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Ft 2,600$7.22 | ¥ 1,400$9.46 | Budapest −24% |
| Bottled water | Ft 430$1.19 | ¥ 120$0.81 | Osaka −32% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Ft 1,100$3.06 | ¥ 300$2.03 | Osaka −34% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Ft 3,600$10 | ¥ 2,500$16.9 | Budapest −41% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Ft 2,200$6.11 | ¥ 1,400$9.46 | Budapest −35% |
| Transitone ride | Ft 430$1.19 | ¥ 210$1.42 | Budapest −16% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Ft 9,000$25 | ¥ 4,200$28.4 | Budapest −12% |
| Hotel night3-star | Ft 32,000$88.9 | ¥ 12,000$81.1 | Osaka −9% |
| Studio rent (month) | Ft 270,000$750 | ¥ 95,000$642 | Osaka −14% |
| Laundry | Ft 1,100$3.06 | ¥ 700$4.73 | Budapest −35% |
| SIM card1 week data | Ft 3,600$10 | ¥ 2,800$18.9 | Budapest −47% |
| Haircutcut | Ft 4,600$12.8 | ¥ 2,900$19.6 | Budapest −35% |
| Massage1 hour | Ft 13,000$36.1 | ¥ 8,400$56.8 | Budapest −36% |
| Half-day tourper person | Ft 14,000$38.9 | ¥ 9,800$66.2 | Budapest −41% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Ft 4,300$11.9 | ¥ 1,700$11.5 | similar |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Budapest or Osaka?
Osaka is 6% cheaper than Budapest. Daily budget $178 vs $173; a month $2,978 vs $2,726.
How do monthly costs compare between Budapest and Osaka?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Budapest is about $2,978 and Osaka about $2,726 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.