Live and work in Budapest
Budapest (international: Budapest) is the capital of Hungary. The city consists of two parts called: Buda and Pest. These two parts of the city each lie on one side of the Danube River. Within two centuries, Budapest has grown into a metropolis of almost two million inhabitants.
This beautiful city is characterised by bathhouses and Hungarian cuisine. Every year, Budapest is visited by more than four million visitors. This makes Budapest by far the most important tourist destination in Hungary. When it comes to the number of visitors, the city rivals even Amsterdam, Los Angeles and Moscow. Moreover, Budapest attracts even more visitors than Berlin, Prague and Vienna. Living and working in Budapest is also becoming increasingly popular and attractive.
The city is also known for its River Danube. From several places in the city, there is a beautiful panoramic view thanks to this river. The river also ensures that some important buildings such as the Parliament and the Castle Palace are shown off to their best advantage. The centre of Pest district consists mainly of streets, stately buildings and some car-free areas. Buda district is the quietest part of the city. Slightly to the south is Gellért Hill, a popular tourist attraction, especially among hikers. Those who want to walk to the top of the hill have to cover almost three hundred metres.
In short, living and working in Budapest has many advantages and is a special experience. Read on quickly and discover more about Hungary’s beautiful capital city!
Latest jobs in Hungary and Budapest
Work in Budapest
Working conditions in Budapest
A standard working week in Hungary is 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. The working day usually starts at 8:00 or 08:30 and ends around 17:00. Friday is often a short day and many companies close at 16:00 or even earlier.
Salaries in Budapest
The minimum wage in Budapest in 2024 €686 per month. Also, the average salary in Hungary in 2024 is €1569 per month.
Income tax in Budapest
Living and working in Budapest also has many tax advantages. For instance, income tax rates in Hungary are lower than in the Netherlands or Belgium. For instance, residents of Hungary pay a flat tax rate of 15% on gross taxable income.
Hungary is also an interesting destination for companies. In fact, companies pay only 9% corporate tax.
The economy of Hungary
Due to Hungary ‘s low tax rates, convenient location and interesting opportunities, many international companies have invested in the country in recent years. This has certainly boosted economic growth. Budapest, Hungary’s economic centre, in particular, is home to many international companies. In fact, Budapest is the second-fastest developing urban economy in Europe.
The main sectors in Hungary are agriculture, industry, transport, services, education and healthcare. In addition, tourism is an emerging sector in Hungary. The industrial sector in particular has a large share in Hungary’s economy. Due to the country’s central location, Hungary is also seen as an important link between Southeastern Europe and Western Europe. Transport is therefore a very important sector in the country.
The work culture in Budapest
Although Hungarian companies are hierarchical and the environment is fairly formal, a lot of effort is put into small talk and building relationships. For instance, meetings always start with small talk and your colleagues will undoubtedly ask you about your family and private life. Long lunches and dinners are also part of business culture in Budapest.
In addition, Hungarians are very punctual, meticulous and status is highly valued. Thus, you are expected to treat your colleagues and managers with respect. During meetings, Hungarians generally address each other by their title followed by their surname. Can’t make it on time for a meeting? If so, let this be known and explain why you cannot make it on time.
Hungarians are very detail-oriented and try to understand everything completely before engaging with someone. Hopefully, based on the above information, you got a better idea of the work culture in Budapest.
Networking in Budapest
If you are new to Budapest, it can be nice and valuable to meet other expats in the city. They may be able to help you, for instance, with arranging certain bureaucratic matters in Budapest. Perhaps they can even help you find a new job. There are several Facebook groups you can join, including Expats in Budapest and Budapest Expats.
Vacancies in Budapest
To find a nice job in Budapest, you can always visit our jobs abroad page. Do you have any questions about our vacancies? Then get in touch via social media or by filling in the contact form.
Living in Budapest
Benefits of living and working in Budapest
Budapest is closely connected to the rest of Europe. In addition, the cost of living in Budapest is also very low. In particular, living and working in Budapest is a lot cheaper than in many other European cities.
You will soon find that Hungarians are very friendly and helpful. Getting to know people in this city is also quite easy. Expats and Hungarians are often open for a chat. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to communicate with the locals, as not everyone knows how to express themselves well in English. If you plan to stay in Budapest for a longer period of time, it is advisable to take a language and culture course.
The city consists of several districts, of which District Five is the heart and soul of Budapest. District Five is also home to important businesses, Parliament’s buildings and ministries. In addition, it is also the main economic centre.
Accommodation in Budapest
As you have already read, life in Budapest is just a bit cheaper than in the Netherlands, Germany or UK. For example, the average rent for a small flat in central Budapest is around €480 per month.
A handy website for finding accommodation in Budapest is www.ingatlan.com. On this website you will find many (furnished) rooms and flats in Budapest. Using the ‘translate this page ’ button in your browser, you can change the language on the website to English. Note that prices are calculated per square metre in a district. As a foreigner, you are often presented with higher prices than if you are Hungarian. So negotiating is highly recommended!
Below you will find more websites where you can find a room and/or flat in Budapest. Both for a few months and for a longer period (more than 1 year):
Facebook groups where you can also go:
Where to stay in Budapest?
District Five is the economic centre of Budapest. This district is ideal for anyone who wants to live close to work and Budapest’s major attractions. However, keep in mind that renting an apartment in District Five is more expensive than in most other districts in Budapest.
District VII is ideal for the party animals among us. You will find plenty of cosy bars, restaurants and clubs in this district. Because the district can be quite noisy at night, rents are also slightly lower than in the central districts.
District XIII is a quiet residential area. The further north you go in the district, the cheaper the rents become. Do you like sports? Then the Újlipótváros neighbourhood is a good option. Indeed, this neighbourhood is close to Margaret Island, a beautiful park with a 5 km running track.
District I is a quiet, clean and expensive neighbourhood in Pest. You’ll find lots of restaurants here.
District II is in Buda and is perfect for families. This is a large district and it is very quiet.
Public transport in Budapest
Public transport in Budapest, as in many European cities, is very well regulated. People over 65 can even travel for free on public transport in Budapest. Just make sure you always travel with a valid ticket. This is because fines in Budapest can be quite high. Tickets are available at many places in the city and are also very cheap. For just 350 HUF (about €0.90 converted), you already have a single ticket.
Budapest has buses, trams and metros. If you really want to see some of the city, the best way to travel is by tram. In fact, tram line 2 is considered one of the most beautiful tram lines in the world. As such, it is considered a bit of a tourist attraction. Apart from that, of course, it is also just a convenient and practical means of transport.
There are three main train stations in Budapest: Keleti Pályaudvar on the east side of the city, Déli Pályudvar in southern Budapest and Nyugati Pályaudvar is in the West of the city. Keleti Pályaudvar can be reached by the red line of the metro, the M2. You can reach the other two stations with the blue line, the M3.
By the way, did you know that you can get to Budapest by train from the Netherlands? For example, you can travel to Budapest from Amsterdam via Munich or via Berlin. During Sziget – a well-known music festival in Budapest – you’ll even travel on a special festival train.
How does the bus in Budapest work?
Budapest has an extensive bus network. For instance, there are over 200 bus lines and different types of buses. You can choose from the night bus, regular bus, trolley bus, airport shuttle bus and hop-on hop-off bus.
The regular buses run between 04:30 and 23:50 and take you to the famous sights in Budapest. The trolley buses can be recognised by their red colour and only run in the Zugló neighbourhood and on the plague side of Budapest. Night transport in Budapest is also well catered for. From 23:50 to 04:30 you can use the night bus. Night bus stops can be recognised by the symbol with the black and white owl.
Eating in Budapest
Budapest is not only a very beautiful city, but you can also eat very well and cheaply! There are many cosy breakfast shops, nice and cosy lunches and fine and atmospheric restaurants with dishes from all over the world. And all quite affordable! Below we share our favourite restaurants, where you can eat deliciously and cheaply.
Molnár’s Kürtoskalács
A perfect way to start your morning in Budapest: at Molnár’s Kürtoskalács. Every morning, this eponymous traditional delicacy is still made by hand. Dough strips are rolled over a wooden handle and then smoked in a kind of oven over the fire. The still-warm buns are then dipped in a topping of your choice. You can then choose from several flavours. Among them: cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate, almond and coconut. Whatever you choose, they are all delicious!
Kürtoskalács’ main branch can be found at the beginning of the popular Vaci Utca shopping street.
Elysée Bistro
This bistro is right next to the parliament. A cosy bistro where you can enjoy delicious, affordable food and great views. In summer, you can also enjoy sitting outside on the terrace to get an even better view of the immense parliament building.
La Pampa
Steakhouse La Pampa is a bit of a ‘you can make it as expensive as you want’ restaurant. It looks fancy and you can also order the famous Japanese Kobe steak here, which costs a whopping €100(!) per 200 grams. Fortunately, many of the main dishes at La Pampa still cost less than €10, so you can also go there for an affordable meal. Not much of a meat eater? No problem! In fact, the different kinds of empanadas do well there too.
Vak Varju Etterem
This Bistro is highly recommended for anyone who likes a hearty meal. The food there is cheap, you get large portions and everything is classically Hungarian. It’s a dark café that sometimes hosts parties in the evening. You see these kinds of restaurants and bars quite a lot in Budapest. Vak Varju Etterem is without a doubt one of the nicest places. It is therefore a household name in the entire city and the nice thing is that you really find yourself among the locals here.
Living and working abroad is fantastic, especially in a city like Budapest, which has everything to offer in terms of food. In short, you’re going to have the time of your life in Budapest.
Going out in Budapest
Budapest offers many nightlife options for every taste and wallet. In fact, the city is known for its vibrant and spotty nightlife. But it certainly has much more to offer than just cheap pubs and karaoke bars. A weekend in Budapest is not complete without a visit to a hip ruin pub, underground house party or extravagant pool party. To give you an insight into Budapest’s nightlife, here are our tips:
Ruin pubs
Ruin pubs are mainly characterised by worn-out furniture, psychedelic interiors and a colourful crowd of slightly inebriated hipsters. They pour quality beers and serve decent ‘pub-food’. Ruin pubs are perfect to start your night out.
Pool party at Budapest’s spa baths
There are plenty of chic thermal spa baths to be found in Budapest. These have been around for centuries and are perfect if you want to break out a little after a night out.
Bathhouse Szechenyi is famous for its Saturday night pool parties. The place alone is stunning, but at night with the light show and dancers, it’s absolutely fantastic! Cocktails at the bar and music blaring from the speakers. Note this is only from June to September. In winter, go to the Magic Bath Party at Lukacs Bath.
Terraces and beer gardens
As soon as the weather turns lovely, Hungarians move outside en masse and gather in large numbers on the city’s many terraces. Ideal for a day of relaxation and socialising.
Affordable pubs
So the city has many glitzy nightlife options but many more cheap bars, pubs and pubs. Budapest is even famous for its ridiculously low drink prices. Compared to the Netherlands, you can drink two for the price of one in Budapest.
Upper-class skybar parties
Are you ready for a high-level party with delicious drinks and beautiful people after all the pub crawls and pub crawls? Then check out the Budapest Skybar Parties. During the summer, there are several parties on the roof of the Paris Department Store on Thursdays and Fridays . The parties then start at 5pm and end around midnight.
The entrance fee, including a few drinks, is about €15 converted. Make sure you look fresh. The doormen apply a merciless ‘’hot-or-not‘’ door policy. But once you’re inside, you can start enjoying a balmy evening with great DJs and tasty cocktails.
Cost of living in Budapest
The low cost of living makes living and working in Budapest even more attractive. Living and working in Budapest is a lot cheaper than living and working in Amsterdam. For instance, consumer prices in Budapest are over 53% cheaper than in Amsterdam. Rental prices in Budapest are as much as 71% lower and eating out in Budapest is on average 56% cheaper than in Amsterdam.
Food and drink prices in Budapest
A three-course dinner for 2 at a mid-range restaurant in Budapest costs just HUF 15,000 (€37.35). In Amsterdam, the same dinner for 2 people costs around €80.
Alcohol is also relatively cheap in Budapest. For instance, you pay just €1.74 for a 0.5-litre bottle of beer in a restaurant. The same beer costs €0.79 in the supermarket. Moreover, a bottle of wine costs an average of €3.98 in the supermarket.
Budapest’s landscape and nature
The banks of the Danube near Vác are part of the Danube-Ipoly National Park. A humid area along a dead branch of the Danube. The area is not large, but several hiking trails (sand and forest paths, wooden decking) and a bicycle path run through it. If the water level is low enough, the bank of the Danube itself is also easily accessible. You can then easily walk for hours and have a nice look around. At high tide, the area is unfortunately not passable.
The weather in Budapest
Hungary has a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. Budapest has hot, humid summers and cold winters with snow. Spring and autumn weather is generally mild.
How many degrees is it in Budapest?
In summer, temperatures in Budapest can reach above 30 degrees Celsius. The city even experiences hot periods with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius or more.
Temperatures in autumn and winter often fluctuate between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius. Moreover, winters are usually cold with temperatures below freezing. Heavy snowfall is also not uncommon in the city.
What to do in Budapest?
Parliament
One of the symbols of Budapest is the Hungarian Parliament building. Located on the Pest side of the city, this building is one of the most impressive buildings in the world. The structure stands out mainly because of its Gothic style. The building is very well guarded, so unfortunately it is not possible to get very close. However, guided tours are given regularly. For the interior, the best artists such as Károly Lotz and György Kiss were used.
Margaret Island / Margit-sziget
Located on Margaret Island (in the middle of the Danube River) is a beautiful park. This park can be reached via a bridge. No one else lives on the island and there is no traffic. In the park you can jog, walk and there is an open-air theatre, swimming pool, small zoo, beach, church, water tower and even some spa hotels.
Buda Castle / Budavár
So Budapest is actually split into two parts by the Danube River. Buda on one side and Pest on the other. Buda Castle (Budavár) is located in the hilly area of the city. Here lies the ancient castle complex Budavári Palota. The palace is the symbol of the city and also the largest structure in Hungary. The palace houses the Széchenyi National Library, the Hungarian National Gallery and the Historical Museum of Budapest.
Városliget
Like almost every big city, Budapest has a very beautiful city park. This is Városliget, located behind Heroes’ Square. Among other things, this park is home to the Széchenyi baths. This is a wonderful spa and also the largest medicinal spa in Europe. Near the Városliget park is the Szépművészeti Múzeum with visual arts, the Vidámpark amusement park and the Vajdahunyad Castle.
Gödöllő
The city of Queen Sissi, Empress of Austria, is the famous Gödöllő, a place in Budapest municipality. Here stands the Sissi Palace, which was once Sissi’s favourite country residence. Years later, the palace served various functions: including as a cultural centre, retirement home and housing for the army. But today it is used for concerts and parties, among other things. It now houses a Municipal Museum and regularly hosts various exhibitions. By the way, a very large park surrounds the palace.
Bathhouses in Budapest
Budapest is full of bathhouses, which are really lovely to visit especially in winter. This is also something Budapest is a little known for. It is also called ‘the city of bathhouses’. There are over 125 baths in the city, for instance.
The Széchenyi bath is the most famous bath house in Budapest. It is not only the largest bath house in Budapest, but also one of the largest thermal baths in Europe. The bathhouse consists of as many as 18 baths, including 3 outdoor ones.
Other beautiful and famous bathhouses in Budapest are the Gellért bathhouse, Rudas bathhouse and Lukács bathhouse.
Budapest Great Synagogue
This is the largest synagogue in Europe and as many as 5,000 people can fit in this building. It is possible to join a guided tour. This tour takes about 45 minutes and you will learn more about the building’s architecture and Jewish customs. You can buy tickets for the synagogue at the door but it is also possible to order them online in advance.
Healthcare in Budapest
Healthcare in Budapest is well regulated. If you are going to live and work permanently in Hungary, you need to apply for a Hungarian health insurance card (TÁJ-kártya). You can do this by going to the office of the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund (OEP) in Budapest.
With this pass, basic care is fully covered (visits to a GP, dentist, specialist, hospitalisation, emergency care). Keep in mind that treatments in private clinics in Hungary are not covered at all or only partially. Medicines prescribed on prescription are partially reimbursed by the health insurance fund. You only pay the co-payment. Make sure you always have your health insurance card with you when you go to pick up your medicine at the pharmacy. It is nice to know that most medicines are much cheaper in Hungary than in Western Europe.
Live & Work in Budapest FAQs
How much can you earn in Hungary?
The minimum wage in Budapest in 2024 €686 per month. Also, the average salary in Hungary in 2024 is €1569 per month.
How much money do you need to live in Hungary?
The amount of money you need to live in Hungary depends a lot on your lifestyle. Think about groceries, where you live, outings and other expenses. All in all, you can make a rough estimate of €600 to €1000 per month, depending on your lifestyle and spending pattern.
Can you pay with the Euro in Hungary?
Hungary is a member of the European Union, but uses the Hungarian forint (HUF) as its official currency. Although you can pay with euros in some places, it is smarter to pay with HUF. This is because exchange rates may not be favourable, putting you at risk of spending more than if you pay directly in HUF.
What is healthcare like in Hungary?
In Hungary, medical knowledge is of a high standard. Hospitals or medical facilities are available in all towns or larger villages. Medicines are available at pharmacies. In case of emergencies, you can call the general emergency number 112, which is connected to the police, fire brigade and rescue teams.
