Living in Budapest

Population density was 3,209.3 people per km² in 2025. There were 766 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2025. The city had 961,061 dwellings in 2022. The housing vacancy rate was 16.7% in 2022. Budapest is the national capital of Hungary. Budapest had a population of 1,675,777 at the start of 2026. The city covered 525.1 km² in 2025.

Which Hungary-wide rules apply when you move to Budapest?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in HungaryNational rates and thresholds that apply in Budapest.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

Fixed internet was estimated at €21.80 per month in July 2026.

How much does it cost to rent in Budapest?

Average net cold rent is 16.94 EUR/m² per month (2026-06), excluding heating and operating charges.

Published average over existing tenancies; a specific flat can sit either side of it. Asking-rent series, where present, are separate rows in the table.

Average net rent (nettokalt): 16.94 EUR/m²/month · Ingatlannet city statistics — Albérlet rent per m²²¹

What recurs every month6 published recurring costs, € per month

Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Fitness club membership, monthly	65.35 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest²²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited	21.8 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest²²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Private kindergarten, monthly	480.3 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest²²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Meal at an inexpensive restaurant	12.71 EUR	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest²²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Mobile plan, 10 GB	22.64 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest²²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
Monthly transport pass	24.73 EUR/month	3 Aug 2026	Numbeo²³Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context
Basic utilities, 85 m² home	159 EUR/month	31 Jul 2026	Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest²²Commercial estimate · Supplemental context
G02 Vacancy Rate Pct	16.72 %	2022	KSH official data⁷Official
Dwellings	961,061 dwellings	2022	KSH official data⁷Official
Average net rent (nettokalt)	16.94 EUR/m²/month	30 Jun 2026	Ingatlannet city statistics — Albérlet rent per m²²¹Commercial estimate · Supplemental context

Cost of living

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat were about €1,668 in the latest published figures. From a median gross salary of €3,751, that leaves €2,083 before income tax and social contributions.

Where a Budapest salary goesfixed monthly costs, share of the €1,668 basket · median gross salary €3,751/month

Net rent, 85 m² · 86%€1,440
Utilities, 85 m² · 10%€159
Transport pass · 1%€25
Internet and mobile · 3%€44

One person, 85 m² flat; the ring splits the €1,668 fixed basket before income tax and social contributions, latest published figures (checked 2026-08-27).

Worked out from these numbers

What does a 60 m² flat cost?

About 1,016 EUR a month in cold rent at the published average of 16.94 EUR/m² per month, before heating and operating charges.

Heating, water and operating charges come on top, and a specific flat can sit either side of an average.

Source period: 2026-06

Work and income

The unemployment rate was 3.9% in 2022.

What is the unemployment rate in Budapest?

The unemployment rate is 3.9 % (2022). Source: KSH official data⁹

Unemployment across cities in HungaryUnemployment in Budapest is 3.9%. Of 277 cities with data, 124 have unemployment of 4 to under 6%.

Unemployment rate (%)

Metric	Value	Period	Source
G10 Broadband Subscription Pct	81.14 %	2022	KSH official data⁸Official
G10 No Internet Pct	18.86 %	2022	KSH official data⁸Official
Median gross salary (regional)	3,751 EUR/month	27 Aug 2026	www.ksh.hu²⁰Official
Unemployment rate	3.9 %country median 4.6%	2022	KSH official data⁹Official

Unemployment rate over time7 published observations, 1990–2022

Unemployment rate rose 44.4% between 1990 and 2022, from 2.7% to 3.9%.

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Budapest. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

National Employment Service — Public employment service

National Employment Service of Hungary

Job Search

Search jobs

Open the Hungary service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Budapest. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Healthcare

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Physicians per 100,000 residents	766 per 100,000	31 Dec 2025	KSH official table for physicians_per_100k¹⁵Official

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Budapest under the national coverage rules.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide

Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

Safety

How safe is Budapest?

Police recorded about 2,396 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source.

Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents: 2,396 offences per 100,000 · BRFK — Report on 2025 activity and Budapest public safety¹

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents	2,396 offences per 100,000	31 Dec 2025	BRFK — Report on 2025 activity and Budapest public safety¹Official

Mobility and administration

Household broadband subscription was 81.1% in 2022.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Destinations from nearest airport	77 count	3 Aug 2026	OpenFlights¹⁷Official
Nearest airport	BUD	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹⁸Official
Distance to nearest airport	18 km	3 Aug 2026	OurAirports¹⁸Official
Public transport monthly pass	22.65 EUR/month	31 Dec 2024	Eurostat⁴Official

Language courses and integration in Budapest

2 exact course-location records are linked to this city. Check the linked source for dates, availability and enrolment.

Verified locally

2verified local records

1provider-supplied leads

KKM MDA Kft. — Balassi Summer University host training institution

1107 Budapest, Zágrábi u. 1-3., Bihari Irodaház, 1. em. 102.

View official record

Refugee Affairs Directorate — National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing

1117 Budapest XI., Budafoki út 60. — Sztregova köz

View official record

Private and nonprofit providers

Provider-supplied records stay separate from government-verified services.

Provider-supplied record · supplemental Menedék — Hungarian Association for Migrants

Ó utca 39. Fsz/1, 1066 Budapest

Open provider website

Check courses in Budapest How the country programme works

Exact city-linked records checked 2026-08-10. Provider-supplied records are supplemental and are not presented as official accreditation.

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 1.3°C in January and 23.3°C in July. Monthly precipitation was 33 mm in January and 53.7 mm in July. Annual PM2.5 was 13 µg/m³ at the end of 2024. Mean annual temperature was 12.2°C in 2021. Annual NO₂ was 22.1 µg/m³ at the end of 2024.

Is the air quality good in Budapest?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 13 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data³

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C

Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm

Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours

Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
NO₂ — annual mean	22.1 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	KSH official table for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m3¹²Official
PM2.5 — annual mean	13 µg/m³	31 Dec 2024	EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data³Official
Average daytime high by month	Jan 4.7 · Feb 7.1 · Mar 12.3 · Apr 18.8 · May 23.1 · Jun 26.8 · Jul 28.8 · Aug 28.9 · Sep 23.1 · Oct 17.2 · Nov 10.6 · Dec 5.1 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average night-time low by month	Jan -1.2 · Feb 0.1 · Mar 3.9 · Apr 9.1 · May 12.8 · Jun 16.3 · Jul 18 · Aug 17.7 · Sep 13.3 · Oct 8.7 · Nov 4.3 · Dec -0.2 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average temperature by month	Jan 1.3 · Feb 3.1 · Mar 7.5 · Apr 13.3 · May 17.6 · Jun 21.5 · Jul 23.3 · Aug 22.9 · Sep 17.8 · Oct 12.3 · Nov 7.2 · Dec 2.1 °C	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average precipitation by month	Jan 33 · Feb 30.2 · Mar 31.2 · Apr 32.5 · May 57.3 · Jun 60 · Jul 53.7 · Aug 54.2 · Sep 46.1 · Oct 44.1 · Nov 46.2 · Dec 37.7 mm	1991–2020	WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV²⁵Independent
Average sunshine by month	Jan 68.15 · Feb 93.44 · Mar 140.7 · Apr 185.4 · May 250.9 · Jun 262.2 · Jul 264.6 · Aug 251.4 · Sep 159.9 · Oct 124.9 · Nov 75.63 · Dec 51.73 hours	31 Dec 2020	Budapest monthly climate data 1991-2020²Official
G11 Annual Precipitation Mm	465 mm	2021	KSH official data¹⁰Official
Average annual temperature	12.2 °C	2021	KSH official data¹⁰Official

Which nearby places are linked to Budapest?

Official and functional links appear before nearby-only places.

Budaörs Satellite · 8.6 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Budakeszi Satellite · 10.4 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Törökbálint Satellite · 11.9 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Diósd Satellite · 12.4 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Solymár Satellite · 12.5 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Nagykovácsi Satellite · 14.0 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Csömör Satellite · 14.4 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Szigetszentmiklós Satellite · 15.1 km²⁴

Rent: Not collectedNo exact local rent fact
Recorded crime: Not collectedNo exact total-rate fact

Cities of a similar size in Hungary

Closest published populations, for a like-for-like comparison.

All Hungary cities

Debrecen202,130 residents Szeged157,282 residents Miskolc141,440 residents Pécs139,412 residents Győr127,599 residents Nyíregyháza116,282 residents

Population and city profile

How many people live in Budapest?

The published population was 1,675,777 people in January 2026. Source: Population by type of settlement, 1 January¹⁹

Who lives hereResidents by nationality, % of population

Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Cars per 1,000 residents	429 cars per 1000 people	31 Dec 2024	Eurostat⁴Official
City area	525.1 km²	1 Jan 2025	KSH official table for city_area_km2¹³Official
Foreign-resident share	6.8 %	31 Dec 2024	Eurostat⁵Official
Foreign residents	112,632 people	1 Jan 2026	KSH official table for foreign_population_total¹⁴Official
Population density	3,209 people/km²	1 Jan 2025	KSH official table for population_density_per_km2¹⁶Official
Population	1,675,777 people	1 Jan 2026	Population by type of settlement, 1 January¹⁹Official

Population over time36 published observations, 1990–2026

Population fell 16.9% between 1990 and 2026, from 2,016,774 to 1,675,777.

Foreign residents over time11 published observations, 2015–2026

Foreign residents rose 67.5% between 2015 and 2026, from 67,253 to 112,632.

People and communities

Metric	Value	Period	Source
Catholic share	24.26 %	2022	KSH official data¹¹Official
No religion or other, share	19.23 %	2022	KSH official data¹¹Official
Protestant share	7.53 %	2022	KSH official data¹¹Official

International community in Budapest

Named groups from exact city-grain official distributions. Citizenship, birthplace, language and ancestry answer different questions and stay separate.

Citizenship

Population enumerated in the 2022 Hungarian Census; settlement data, population; all sexes and ages as source table defines · 2022 Census

Published group	People	Share
Citizenship	1,685,342	100.0%
Citizen of Hungary	1,587,023	94.2%
Foreign national	98,319	5.8%
Non-EU foreign national	69,956	4.2%
EU foreign national	28,306	1.7%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁶

Language spoken at home

Population enumerated in the 2022 Hungarian Census; settlement data, population; all sexes and ages as source table defines · 2022 Census

Published group	People	Share
German language spoken with family members or friends	9,219	0.5%
Ukrainian language spoken with family members or friends	5,861	0.3%
Romanian language spoken with family members or friends	2,780	0.2%
Gipsy (Romani, Boyash) language spoken with family members or friends	2,161	0.1%
Gipsy (Romani) language spoken with family members or friends	1,761	0.1%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁶

Ancestry or ethnicity

Population enumerated in the 2022 Hungarian Census; settlement data, population; all sexes and ages as source table defines · 2022 Census

Published group	People	Share
Belong to German ethnic group	21,407	1.3%
Belong to Gipsy (Romani) ethnic group	12,921	0.8%
Belong to Ukrainian ethnic group	8,710	0.5%
Belong to Romanian ethnic group	5,789	0.3%
Belong to Slovakian ethnic group	2,909	0.2%

Largest published groups; zero-count groups are omitted. Dimensions are source-native and are never merged. Official source⁶

Is Budapest a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile

Remote worker57%strong on work, weak on air quality · range 48–66%

Skilled employee67%strong on work, weak on housing · range 59–75%

Student48%strong on education, weak on housing · range 40–56%

Family62%strong on family, weak on housing · range 54–70%

Retirement53%strong on legal route, weak on admin · range 43–63%

Foreign residents112,632 people1 Jan 2026Official source · KSH official table for foreign_population_total

Population1,675,777 people1 Jan 2026Official source · Population by type of settlement, 1 January

Average net rent (nettokalt)16.94 EUR/m²/month30 Jun 2026Commercial source · Ingatlannet city statistics — Albérlet rent per m²

Dwellings961,061 dwellings2022Official source · KSH official data

Median gross salary (regional)3,751 EUR/month27 Aug 2026Official source · www.ksh.hu

Unemployment rate3.9 %2022Official source · KSH official data

Every value keeps its source, geographic scope and verification date · Last checked 2026-08-27

Additional context

Metric	Value	Period	Source
G07 Bachelors Or Higher Share Pct	34.05 %	2022	KSH official data⁹Official

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

Is Budapest expensive?

Fixed monthly costs for one person in an 85 m² flat — net rent, utilities, a transport pass, internet and mobile — came to about €1,668 against a median gross salary of €3,751 (figures), leaving about €2,083 before income tax. Sources: the rent, recurring-cost and salary series published on this page, each with its own source and date.

How many people live in Budapest?

The published population was 1,675,777 people in January 2026. Source: Population by type of settlement, 1 January.

How much does it cost to rent in Budapest?

Average net cold rent is 16.94 EUR/m² per month (2026-06), excluding heating and operating charges. For a 70 m² flat that is about 1,186 EUR a month before utilities. Source: Ingatlannet city statistics — Albérlet rent per m².

Is the air quality good in Budapest?

How safe is Budapest?

Police recorded about 2,396 incidents per 100,000 (2025). This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: BRFK — Report on 2025 activity and Budapest public safety.

What is the unemployment rate in Budapest?

The unemployment rate is 3.9 % (2022). Source: KSH official data.

What is the typical salary around Budapest?

The median gross salary is 3,751 EUR/month. Source: www.ksh.hu.

Is Budapest a good place to live?

Budapest may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Which nearby places are linked to Budapest?

Budaörs, Budakeszi, Törökbálint, Diósd, Solymár are linked in the current source-backed set. The relationship label distinguishes administrative, metropolitan, commuting and distance-only links.

How many people are in the Citizenship citizenship group in Budapest?

The official citizenship distribution records 1,685,342 people (100.0%) in the source-defined population for 2022 Census. This is a citizenship measure, not a general estimate of ethnicity or migration status.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation

ImmigrationDB. (2026, September 12). Budapest, Hungary: cost of living, rent and salaries [ImmigrationDB compilation; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hu/budapest/ Retrieved 2026-09-12. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

BibTeX citation

@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_budapest-hungary-cost-of-living-rent-and-salaries_5eadc5b8a8fb,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Budapest, Hungary: cost of living, rent and salaries},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-09-12},
  version = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  snapshot = {approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hu/budapest/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-09-12. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}

Markdown citation

[Budapest, Hungary: cost of living, rent and salaries](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hu/budapest/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; snapshot approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; version approved-static-d7ed373c115d60d0; retrieved 2026-09-12; built 2026-09-12.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown

BRFK — Report on 2025 activity and Budapest public safety BRFK · einfoszab.budapest.hu · checked 2026-07-29
Budapest monthly climate data 1991-2020 met.hu · checked 2026-07-26
EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics · air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-07-26
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-03
Eurostat ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-02
Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) language_spoken_at_home distribution nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu · checked 2026-08-28
KSH official data nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official data nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official data nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official data ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18

Show 15 more sources

KSH official data nepszamlalas2022.ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official table for air_quality_no2_annual_ug_m3 ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official table for city_area_km2 ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official table for foreign_population_total ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official table for physicians_per_100k ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
KSH official table for population_density_per_km2 ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
Population by type of settlement, 1 January ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-29
www.ksh.hu ksh.hu · checked 2026-08-27
Ingatlannet city statistics — Albérlet rent per m² Ingatlannet city statistics · ingatlannet.hu · checked 2026-07-29
Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest de.numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-26
Numbeo numbeo.com · checked 2026-08-03
wikidata.org place coordinates wikidata.org · checked 2026-08-28
WMO Climatological Normals 1991-2020 station CSV ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.