A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Doha vs. Budapest for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Doha or Budapest?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Doha and Budapest can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Where Should I go: Doha or Budapest?

Doha

Doha is the capital city of Qatar, modern and rapidly developing with much construction underway. It is home to Doha International Airport, the main point of entry for Qatar, as well as many of the country's best museums and examples of cultural heritage.

Budapest

Budapest is the capital city of Hungary. It has been called the "Paris of the East" because of its impressive architecture and general beauty. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its cultural importance, its location on the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrassy Avenue. In addition to its rich history, Budapest still has a young vibe with a lot of energy. There's an active night life, an impressive music scene, and a good reputation with European youth.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Budapest, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Budapest.


Which place is cheaper, Budapest or Doha?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Doha is $200, while the average daily cost in Budapest is $91. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Doha and Budapest in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Doha $119
    Budapest $50
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Doha $238
    Budapest $100
Compare Hotels in Doha and Budapest

Looking for a hotel in Doha or Budapest? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Doha


Hotels in Budapest


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Doha Hotel Prices and Budapest Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Doha $23
    Budapest $11

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Doha

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Doha:

  • Private Full Day City Sightseeing Tour with Transfer: $243
  • Private Transfer from Doha City to Doha (DOH) Airport: $191
  • Qatar Doha Hamad Airport (DOH): Transfer to Doha city: $177
  • Qatar Doha Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $144
  • Doha Hamad Airport (DOH) to Doha - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $131
  • ONE WAY: Doha International Airport - Private Transfer From/to Hotels: $122
  • Departure Transfer: Doha to Hamad Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
  • Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Van: $120
  • Private Arrival Transfer - Al Khor: $120
  • Private Sightseeing Tour in Doha with Roundtrip Transfer: $115
  • Airport Transfer: Doha to Doha Airport DOH by Luxury Car: $108
  • Private Arrival Transfer to Sumaysimah: $100

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Budapest

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Budapest:


  • Short Taxi Ride
    $7.05
  • Metro Pass
    $3.87

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Budapest

Also for Budapest, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Bucharest - Romania to Budapest - Hungary /Private Transfer: $1,190
  • Budapest - Bük Transfer: $153
  • Budapest - Debrecen Transfer: $168
  • Budapest - Hungary to Bucharest - Romania /Private Transfer: $1,298
  • Budapest - Pécs Transfer: $150
  • Budapest Airport BUD Arrival Private Transfer to Budapest City: $90
  • Budapest Airport Private Luxury Transfer by a Mercedes Benz S Class: $120
  • Budapest Airport Transfer: $55
  • Budapest Airport Transfer - Round trip to and from Liszt Ferenc Airport: $78
  • Budapest Airport Transfer - return (arrival & departure) with discount: $51
  • Budapest Airport Transfer: Budapest Airport BUD to Budapest City in Business Car: $75
  • Budapest Airport Transfer: Budapest City to Budapest Airport BUD in Business Car: $75

Is it cheaper to fly into Doha or Budapest?

Prices for flights to both Budapest and Doha change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Doha $61
    Budapest $23

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Doha

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Doha.

  • Private Dinner on Al Safliya Island: $76
  • Private Souk Waqif with Lunch or Dinner Tour: $96
  • The Pearl-Qatar Food Tour & Boat Ride: $119
  • Half Day Doha City Tour with Lunch or Dinner: $143
  • BBQ Dinner in the desert resort; Dune bashing & camel ride: $165
  • Doha Private Full Day Desert Safari Lunch | Dinner Included: $190
  • Full Day Desert Safari with Camp Access, Buffet Dinner,Camel Ride: $195
  • Doha : Full Day Desert Safari | BBQ Dinner | Inland sea: $197
  • Private Desert Safari with BBQ Lunch/Dinner at Souk Al Wakra: $202
  • Full Day Desert Private Safari with Lunch or Dinner: $214
  • Private Overnight Desert Safari, Dune bashing, dinner & Breakfast: $220
  • From Overnight Desert Safari with BBQ Dinner: $240

Typical Food Prices in Budapest

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Budapest:


  • Lunch
    $3.44

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Budapest

For Budapest, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Downtown Budapest Cruise with Pizza and Beer: $45
  • Pizza & Beer Downtown Budapest Cruise: $46
  • Vegan Hungarian Food Tour (full meals): $52
  • Medieval Dinner Show with Drinks: $53
  • Vegan Hungarian Food Tour / Local delights: $57
  • Private Street Food Tour: $59
  • Danube Cruise with Hungarian Dinner and Live Music: $74
  • Budapest Danube Cruise with Buffet Dinner, Performances and Music: $75
  • Chefparade Cooking School_ Hungarian menu: $79
  • Evening Cruise and Dinner with Champagne: $86
  • Lángos (Hungary’s nr1 streetfood) cooking class: $87
  • Candlelit Dinner River Cruise with Live Music: $91

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Doha $18
    Budapest $22

Tours and Activities in Doha

Here are a few actual costs in Doha for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Doha City Tour And Dhow Boat Ride (Private Tour): $99
  • Private Express Doha City Tour: $165
  • Transit/Layover Tours from Doha Airport – Explore Doha City : $105
  • (Private) Quickie to the Desert Safari Experience - Inland Sea Visit: $100
  • 1 Hour Camel Ride Experience in Sealine Beach: $172
  • 3-Hour Kayaking Eco Adventure - Mangrove Purple Island : $70
  • 4 Hours-Doha City Private Tour: $74
  • 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $72
  • 4-Hour Private Group City Tour in Doha, Qatar: $70
  • 4-Hour Private Tour to Msheireb Museums: $100
  • 8-Hour Private Cultural Tour: $288
  • Arabian Sands Half-Day Adventure in Qatar: $140

Typical Entertainment Prices in Budapest

For Budapest, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Entrance to the Baths for Two
    $6.91

Tours and Activities in Budapest

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Budapest.

  • First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
  • Free Tour Budapest Essential in Spanish: $3.26
  • Guided Tour in Budapest Castle District: $3.28
  • Welcome to Budapest Walking Tour: $3.28
  • Original Budapest Walking Tour: $3.28
  • Communist History Evening Walking Tour of Budapest: $3.28
  • Self Guided City Audio Tour in Buda Castle: $5.46
  • Self-Guided Highlights Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $5.92
  • Escape Game and Tour: $5.92
  • Historical Heroes & Hot Spa Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.99
  • Discovering Budapest's hot pools and heroes: a self-guided audio tour: $5.99
  • TOP 10 Budapest- City Tour : $6.00

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Doha $15
    Budapest $18

Sample the Local Flavors in Budapest

Also in Budapest, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • 5-Hour Pub Crawl through Ruin Bars: $22
  • The Original Budapest Pub Crawl - One Hour Open Bar + Free Shots: $22
  • Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
  • Ultimate Budapest Pub Crawl: $23
  • Bingo Bar Crawl: $25
  • Ruin Bar Pub Crawl with Entry Tickets: $29
  • Detective Pub Crawl Game by App: $38
  • 8-Tier Hungarian Wine Tasting in a Cozy Downtown Wine Bar: $39
  • Tipsy Tour Fun Bar Crawl with a Local Guide: $42
  • Drunken History Bar Crawl Tour with Local Drinks: $42
  • Private Wine Tasting in Budapest: $50
  • Hungarian Wine Tasting (with Cheese and Charcuterie) in Budapest: $50


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Doha and Budapest, we can see that Doha is more expensive. And not only is Budapest much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Doha is in Middle East and Budapest is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Budapest would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Budapest and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Doha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Doha than you might in Budapest.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Doha Expensive? and Is Budapest Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Doha or Budapest?

Budapest has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Doha. When comparing the sizes of Doha and Budapest, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.