Living in Budapest
In Budapest, unemployment is 3.9% (2022).
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.
Housing and cost
Fixed internet cost €17.43 per month at the provider's published price in October 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 m²26
Supplemental estimate lane, not official statistics: Utilities, 85 m² flat, Private kindergarten, Fitness club. The others are published prices.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 65.35 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 17.43 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2026 | Residential ASZF 3/c annex — sellable fixed internet tariffs; current terms effective 2026-09-0124Official · national market |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 480.3 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | 12.71 EUR | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 17.72 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2026 | Residential ASZF 3/a annex — sellable Domino prepaid tariffs; effective 2026-10-0123Official · national market |
| Monthly transport pass | 24.44 EUR/month | 31 Oct 2026 | BKK Types and prices; Monthly Budapest-pass1Official |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 159 EUR/month | 31 Jul 2026 | Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest27Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
| Housing vacancy rate (legacy series) | 16.72 % | 2022 | KSH official data8Official |
| Dwellings | 961,061 dwellings | 2022 | KSH official data8Official |
| Average net rent (nettokalt) | 16.94 EUR/m²/month | 30 Jun 2026 | Ingatlannet city statistics — Albérlet rent per m²26Commercial estimate · Supplemental context |
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.
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.
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 data10
Budapest 3.9%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public employment offices | 10 count | 15 Sept 2026 | NFSZ — Budapest employment-department locator18Official |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.14 % | 2022 | KSH official data9Official |
| Households without internet | 18.86 % | 2022 | KSH official data9Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 2,534 EUR/month | 27 Aug 2026 | www.ksh.hu25Official |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9 %country median 4.6% | 2022 | KSH official data10Official |
Unemployment rate rose 44.4% between 1990 and 2022, from 2.7% to 3.9%.
What does a salary buy in Budapest?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentUtilitiesTransportInternetMobileLeft over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08. | €1,682 |
| Rent, 60 m²€16.94/m² · market price · Ingatlannet city statistics · 2026-06-30 | − €1,016 |
| Public transport pass€24 · official · BKK Types and prices; Monthly Budapest-pass · 2026-10-31 | − €24 |
| Utilities, 85 m²€159 · market price · Lebenshaltungskosten in Budapest · 2026-07-31 | − €159 |
| Internet€17 · official · Residential ASZF 3/c annex · 2026-10-31 | − €17 |
| Mobile plan€18 · official · Residential ASZF 3/a annex · 2026-10-31 | − €18 |
| Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish | €447 |
Public employment offices in Budapest
NFSZ lists 10 public employment offices in Budapest (checked 2026-09-16). Use the official office finder for addresses and appointments; registration and job search are also available online through the national service below.
National Employment Service — Public employment service
The office count comes from the service's own directory. Individual addresses and opening hours are not listed here yet. Sources checked through 16 Sept 2026.
Family and education
Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher accounted for 34.1% in 2022.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public language course providers | 1 count | 31 Aug 2026 | Official public language-service provider/location register19Official |
School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 3 to 16, and public school is free. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: Hungarian as a second language (második idegen nyelvként) support programmes. How to enrol a child (kormany.hu).
A country-wide rule for Hungary; Budapest's school authority applies it locally.
Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2026.
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians per 100,000 residents | 766 per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2025 | KSH official table for physicians per 100k16Official |
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 guideSafety
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 safety2
| 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 safety2Official |
Mobility and administration
Household broadband subscription was 81.1% in 2022.
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.
KKM MDA Kft. — Balassi Summer University host training institution
1107 Budapest, Zágrábi u. 1-3., Bihari Irodaház, 1. em. 102.
View official recordRefugee Affairs Directorate — National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing
1117 Budapest XI., Budafoki út 60. — Sztregova köz
View official recordPrivate 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 websiteClimate 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 data4
Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
hours
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
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 m313Official |
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 13 µg/m³ | 31 Dec 2024 | EEA Air Quality Annual Statistics — validated PM2.5 station data4Official |
| 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 CSV28Independent |
| 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 CSV28Independent |
| 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 CSV28Independent |
| 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 CSV28Independent |
| 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 1991-20203Official |
| Annual precipitation | 465 mm | 2021 | KSH official data11Official |
| Average annual temperature | 12.2 °C | 2021 | KSH official data11Official |
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 January22
By nationality
National passport93.3%
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 | Eurostat5Official |
| City area | 525.1 km² | 1 Jan 2025 | KSH official table for city area km214Official |
| Foreign-resident share | 6.8 % | 31 Dec 2024 | Eurostat6Official |
| Foreign residents | 112,632 people | 1 Jan 2026 | KSH official table for foreign population total15Official |
| Population density | 3,209 people/km² | 1 Jan 2025 | KSH official table for population density per km217Official |
| Population | 1,675,777 people | 1 Jan 2026 | Population by type of settlement, 1 January22Official |
Population fell 16.9% between 1990 and 2026, from 2,016,774 to 1,675,777.
Foreign residents rose 67.5% between 2015 and 2026, from 67,253 to 112,632.
People and communities
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 source7
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 source7
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 source7
Additional context
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents with a bachelor's degree or higher | 34.05 % | 2022 | KSH official data10Official |
Alternatives for people set on Budapest
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Pécs as a Budapest alternative in the same country
Better on 3 of 6 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Rent: €8.96/m² Pécs vs €16.94/m² Budapest−47%
- Median gross pay, region: €1,773 Pécs vs €2,534 Budapest−30%
- Unemployment: 4.6% Pécs vs 3.9% Budapest+18%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 370 Pécs vs 2,396 Budapestno percentage
- Nearest airport: 10.0 km Pécs vs 18.0 km Budapest−44%
- Foreign residents: 5.0% Pécs vs 6.8% Budapest−26%
- Transport pass: €18 Pécs vs €23 Budapest−18%
Vilnius as a Budapest alternative in another country
Better on 3 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Rent and recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.
- Rent: €12.16/m² (2024) Vilnius vs €16.94/m² (2026) Budapestno percentage
- Nearest airport: 6.0 km Vilnius vs 18.0 km Budapest−67%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 1,929 Vilnius vs 2,396 Budapestno percentage
- Basic utilities, 85 m²: €199 Vilnius vs €159 Budapest+25%
- Foreign residents: 8.0% Vilnius vs 6.8% Budapest+18%
- A meal out: €12 Vilnius vs €13 Budapest−6%
Alternative cities in Hungary
Other cities in Hungary to compare with Budapest, nearest in population first.
How does Budapest compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Budapest's.
Budapest in rankings
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its 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?
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 data.
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 2,534 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.
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, October 16). Budapest, Hungary: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 3af09aab9ee32683c72721a593738ca0]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hu/budapest/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_budapest-hungary-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_4604aec5894e,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {Budapest, Hungary: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {3af09aab9ee32683c72721a593738ca0},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hu/budapest/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[Budapest, Hungary: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/hu/budapest/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 3af09aab9ee32683c72721a593738ca0; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.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
- BKK Types and prices; Monthly Budapest-pass bkk.hu · checked 2026-10-09
- 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
Show 18 more sources
- KSH official data ksh.hu · checked 2026-07-18
- 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
- NFSZ — Budapest employment-department locator NFSZ · nfsz.munka.hu · checked 2026-09-15
- Official public language-service provider/location register oif.gov.hu · checked 2026-09-15
- 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
- Residential ASZF 3/a annex — sellable Domino prepaid tariffs; effective 2026-10-01 Residential ASZF 3/a annex · telekom.hu · checked 2026-10-09
- Residential ASZF 3/c annex — sellable fixed internet tariffs; current terms effective 2026-09-01 Residential ASZF 3/c annex · telekom.hu · checked 2026-10-09
- 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
- 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.