Budacu de Jos (German: Deutsch-Budak; Hungarian: Szászbudak) is a commune in Bistrița-Năsăud County, Transylvania, Romania.

It is composed of five villages: Budacu de Jos, Buduș (Alsóbudak;Budesdorf), Jelna (Kiszsolna; Senndorf), Monariu (Malomárka; Minarken), and Simionești (Simontelke; Seimersdorf).

The commune is situated on the Transylvanian Plateau, at the foot of the Călimani Mountains.

Located in the Nösnerland historic region of Transylvania, Budacu de Jos lies in the south-central part of Bistrița-Năsăud County, 6 km (3.7 mi) south of the county seat, Bistrița.

At the 2011 census, Budacu de Jos had 2,772 inhabitants, of which 78.97% were Romanians and 17.93% Roma.