There is a common misconception that Budapest is a very cheap city to live in and for tourists. This is only partly true, it is not cheap, but very affordable compared to other European capitals. Affordable for living, with relatively inexpensive food, quite affordable prices for entertainment (visits to museums, attractions).
And how much you spend in Budapest depends only on your needs.
The official currency of Hungary is the Forint (FT, HUF). The transition to the Euro is expected after 2020.
Tip: It is better to pay in local currency, forint, it is beneficial for almost everything: services, food, water, in shops, excursions, museums, etc.
Big shops, restaurants and shopping centers They accept Euros and US Dollars for payment, but most often at an overvalued rate. Thus, paying foreign currency, you give away more face value than in forints.
So, the best option is to have Hungarian Forints with you.
Never change money on the street (Vatsi Street is a popular place with money changers who offer to exchange currency), even though the offer is attractive. Most likely you will simply be deceived, giving less money, or, even worse, counterfeit banknotes.
In addition, if possible, do not change money at the Airport and at railway stations - exchange offices in these dreams offer exchange at an overpriced rate.
For the most profitable exchange, change money at exchange offices in the center of Budapest. They have a lower exchange rate and are not as high commission for an exchange. Most often, these exchange offices are located in large shopping centers.
The exchange rate and the exchange fee are two different things. Even if you see an acceptable exchange rate, be sure to ask about the amount of the commission.
Here is a small list of exchange offices where we changed the currency ourselves:
Cards in Budapest are accepted almost everywhere, in restaurants, cafes, museums, hotels. Even in small souvenir shops you can find a terminal for paying for goods with a card. On the move Visa cards, Master Card and American Express.
Coins: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 200 (a coin of 200 forints appeared recently to replace the banknote).
Banknotes: 500, 1 000, 2 000, 5 000, 10 000, 20 000
Budapest is considered a cheap city, as compared to other major cities in Europe, there are more affordable prices for accommodation and entertainment. Prices in Budapest are not much higher than in Russia, and sometimes even lower. Thus, you can relax in Budapest with quite a small budget.
If you have already chosen a hotel for yourself and do not plan to dine in restaurants with a Michelin star, then on average you will spend 40-50 Euros per person per day.
Note: Accommodation prices, regardless of the level of the hotel or hostel, are highly dependent on the season. On average, in summer the price rises by 20%. In addition, prices rise during new year holidays and during the Hungarian Formula 1 round.
Remember that some restaurants add a 10%-15% service fee, the amount of which is not included in the price of the dishes.
In restaurants where there is no service fee, it is customary to leave a tip to the waiter in the amount of 10% of the check.
Despite the fact that Hungary has been a member of the EU and Schengen for many years, the country has retained its own national currency- Hungarian forint.
Forint in stores on price tags is usually indicated as Ft. In exchange offices (and international markets) the Hungarian currency is designated HUF. There are many photos of the Hungarian currency on the Internet - look at the banknotes in advance to just know how they look, otherwise you may become a victim of scammers.
When traveling to Hungary, it is best to stock up on euros. And on the spot, exchange them for forints in exchange offices or bank branches. The Euro is the currency of the EU, which includes Hungary, so the exchange rate will be the most favorable. You can also take dollars with you - they will also be accepted here without problems, but you can lose a little on exchange rate difference. In some tourist places, you can also accept euros, but the rate will be underestimated one and a half times - this will be very unprofitable.
It is also a good option to take a visa or mastercard class bank card with you to Budapest. It is advisable to have this card account in euros - there will be less losses on exchange rate differences. It's just that banks automatically first convert the rubles or hryvnias on the cards into euros, and then they are already transferred to forints, that is, in this way a double exchange is obtained. Well, if this card is connected to online or SMS banking, then you can immediately control all your payments and transactions.
You can pay with a bank card in shops and restaurants in Budapest, and you will not be charged a commission. You can also withdraw cash from the card at an ATM, but the ATM will charge you a small commission.
MashaPasha recommends taking two bank cards(you can just keep one in your hotel room just in case), and the other to pay where possible. It is also advisable to immediately exchange a small amount (within 100 euros) for forints. The fact is that bank cards are not accepted everywhere (you are unlikely to pay for magnets), and local currency you'll still need it.
Read about our hotel article.
It is best to change currency in Budapest in the city center. There are these exchangers in the area. You can find this place on our printed page. You can also change at bank branches, but they, like all banks, work rather strangely (from 8 am to 4 pm with a break for lunch, they will be closed on weekends). Most big banks in Budapest, these are OTP Bank, Raiffeisen, Citibank, CIB Bank, MKB Bank, etc. When exchanging currencies, you will be charged a small commission (it is official - this is a tax on currency exchange), but be careful that there are no other additional commissions and payments. Previously, Hungarian exchangers liked to make money on tourists in this way. You can compare the rate in several exchangers near St. Stephen's Basilica and then choose the most profitable one.
Gold change exchanger in Budapest. These exchangers often have the most favorable exchange rate.
If after Budapest you need to go to the Hungarian province (for example, to Balaton), then change the currency immediately in Budapest. In the provinces, the exchange rate will be much less favorable. Traditionally, the Budapest airport will also have a very unfavorable exchange rate. There it makes sense to change only a very small amount in order to buy tickets for public transport and all.
The forint exchange rate against the euro at the beginning of 2017 was about 310 forints per 1 euro. For several years now, it has hardly changed.
The exchange rate of the Hungarian currency in Budapest against the ruble is about 4.8 forints per 1 ruble. But keep in mind that you will not be able to exchange rubles for forints in Budapest. It is better to take dollars or euros with you on the road.
The forint exchange rate to the Ukrainian hryvnia at the beginning of 2017 was about 11 forints per 1 hryvnia.
If desired, you can buy Hungarian forints in the bank at home before traveling to Budapest. But the loss on the course will be noticeable. It is better to buy forints already in Budapest.
See the current exchange rate of the Hungarian forint against the euro, hryvnia and ruble:
As of today, 08/31/2019, the course dollar The US to the Hungarian forint is equal to 301.48 per 1 dollar. Well Euro to the Hungarian forint is 331.3 per 1 euro. Well Ukrainian hryvnia to the Hungarian forint is 1194.93 per 100 hryvnia (0.08 hryvnia per 1 forint). Well Russian ruble to the Hungarian forint is 451.93 per 100 rubles (this is 0.22 rubles per 1 forint).
The state monetary unit of Hungary is the Hungarian Forint (Hungarian Forint, international code - HUF). Used since 1946, before that the pengő was used as the Hungarian currency, which could not survive the largest hyperinflation in history. Previously, forints had small change coins - fillers, but now they are out of circulation.
The monetary unit is issued in the form of banknotes in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 forints. Hungary also mints metal coins in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 forints.
Currently, the Hungarian economy uses special treatment floating exchange rate. That is, the forint exchange rate is flexible and can change, adjusting to the state foreign exchange market without its artificial retention by the state at a certain level. The official exchange rate of the Central Bank USD / HUF as of September 2015 was 284.19 forints per 1 US dollar ($100 = 28419 HUF). In turn, for 100 Hungarian forints in September 2015 they gave 0.35 US dollars (1000 HUF = 3.52 USD).
The dynamics of the exchange rate of the Hungarian forint against the Russian ruble showed relatively small fluctuations in 2015. Peak moments were April, when there was a strengthening of the ruble, as well as the end of August, when the forint “jumped” to almost 25.8 rubles per 100 HUF. As of September 2015, 100 Hungarian forints could be exchanged for 24.21 rubles (the official rate of the Central Bank), and for 100 rubles, respectively, 413 Hungarian forints were given. You can check the current official and market rates of the Hungarian forint in the "Currencies" section.
Despite the fact that Hungary has been a full member of the European Union since 2004, the state is not part of the so-called Eurozone (European Monetary Union) - that is, the zone in whose territory the Single currency Euro. Just like Denmark, Great Britain, Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden and a number of other countries, Hungary retains its national currency and sees no prospects for switching to euromoney in the near future. However, this does not negate the fact that in Hungarian banks and exchange offices there is a free exchange of forints for euros, as well as euros for forints. In addition, the euro can be used to pay in outlets and other places.
Most travelers who have already visited the country are advised to take euros with them if possible, although there are no particular problems in Hungary with the exchange / exchange rate US dollar. Recommended schemes are the use of a card or the exchange of cash euros for cash forints, which can then be paid profitably anywhere. In addition, in Budapest there are ATMs and bank branches of the Savings Bank of Russia, as well as OTP Bank. It is possible to pay for purchases or services in euros, receiving change in forints, which is very convenient.
“Keep in mind that when withdrawing cash in Budapest, a commission with a minimum amount of 100 rubles is charged from the Sberbank card, so it is more profitable if you can cash out larger amounts (100-150 thousand forints).”
Concerning currency pair Hungarian forint/Ukrainian hryvnia, then as of autumn 2015 were fixed following courses. At the average bank rate of Ukrainian banks, 1 forint was 0.08 Ukrainian hryvnias (0.0786 at the official rate of the National Bank of Ukraine), that is, for 100 forints you could buy about 8 hryvnias. In turn, 1 Ukrainian hryvnia in September 2015 cost 12.42 forints - at the average bank rate (12.73 Hungarian forints at the NBU rate).
If you are planning a trip to Hungary, it is better to have popular world currencies with you - US dollars or euros. Currency exchange in Hungary with this money is greatly simplified. It will be possible to exchange money at a travel agency, and at the airport, and at branches of local banks, and at specialized exchange offices. You can also use vending machines to exchange money. At the same time, experts recommend changing only the amount of currency for Hungarian forints that you are willing to spend in the country, since the reverse exchange is carried out with a large commission (it is almost impossible to find a favorable exchange rate). To pay for purchases and services in Hungary, you can use bank cards international payment systems - American Express, MasterCard, VISA.
The dynamics of the Hungarian forint exchange rate has been relatively stable over the past five years. After the global financial crisis, the exchange rate fluctuated within insignificant limits. Today, one euro can buy 310 forints. One forint is 0.00327 euros. The easiest way to watch currency quotes is on the charts of Forex exchanges. The currency itself is not popular on the market. Today, no more than 0.5% of traders from their total number earn on it. The exchange rate of the Hungarian forint against the dollar is currently 0.0036. For one unit of the Hungarian currency, you can also get 0.24 Russian rubles.
The history of the currency "Hungarian forint" is relatively short - it was officially founded in 1946. At that time, the country was in a terrible crisis associated with the previous war. The previous Hungarian currency Penge was completely withdrawn from circulation due to inflation. The Hungarian forints got their name thanks to the Florentine city of the same name, in which coins were minted. After the forint was officially put into circulation, its exchange rate remained stable for twenty years. In the 1970s, as a result of economic instability inflation in the country. The last issue of banknotes and coins in Hungary was carried out ten years ago - they are still in circulation to this day.
Coins and banknotes of the Hungarian forint in our time are coins, the denomination of which is 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 forints. Moreover, 100 and 200 forints are made from an alloy of two metals (for which they are colloquially called "bimetallic"). Paper banknotes that are currently in circulation have a denomination of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, 100,000 forints.
It is worth noting the incredible beauty modern money Hungary: there are incredibly picturesque images on banknotes and coins. In addition, there are images of the Hungarian coat of arms, the Iris flower (the flower symbol of the country), the falcon and the famous Hungarian bridge on the coins. On one side of the banknotes there is an image of historical figures who played a special role in the development of the country.
The forint exchange rate to the Russian ruble is currently 1 forint - 0.24 rubles. For one Russian ruble you can purchase HUF 4.18. The dynamics of change official exchange rate currencies of the National Bank of Hungary can always be tracked on open price charts of exchange rate quotations. If we consider monetary unit in terms of the subject of bidding, on the market it belongs to the category of exotic. Traders do not pay attention to the Hungarian forint because it has a large spread value. If you are planning to visit Hungary in the near future, take Euros or US dollars with you. With the exchange of these currencies in the banks of the country, you will not have problems.
Advice from Sravni.ru: The owners of cards opened in euros will feel most comfortable in Budapest. Many travelers manage to pay with such a card for almost all purchases and services, while spending a minimum of money on commissions at exchange points and ATMs.
Unfortunately, Hungary is not part of the eurozone, and it has its own currency - the Hungarian forint, HUF (Ft is usually indicated on the price tags). In some tourist places, however, euros can also be accepted as payment, but often at an unfavorable rate. In addition, of course, in a number of places you can pay with a card - but still, not all sellers accept cards, and some are reluctant to accept, so cash forints will obviously be needed.
Where can you buy these forints? In some exchangers in Russia - but in very few, and the rate there, as a rule, is bad. However, you should not be upset: in Russia you can buy euros or dollars, and exchange them for forints already in Budapest, since this is not a problem. Rubles, however, should not be brought to Hungary: as a rule, exchangers do not accept them. The list of accepted currencies usually includes the US dollar, the euro, the Australian dollar, the British pound and the Swiss franc.
Exchange points
In the tourist places of Budapest, there are more than enough exchange points. In addition, there are banks, but they work only in the morning and afternoon, and are usually closed on weekends. In street exchangers, however, there is nothing to worry about - however, pay attention to the presence of a cash desk in the exchanger! The exchanger must be stationary and issue receipts to all customers. Receipts must be signed by the operator.
It is not worth buying forints from your hands right on the streets. However, the windows of some legal exchangers can go outside, but still, it seems to me that it is safer to change money in eatery exchangers, and not in kiosks. If you change at the exchanger-kiosk, quickly take the money and put it away. Do not exchange large amounts in exchangers-kiosks.
In addition, to buy forints, you can use ATMs, which are not so few in the center of Budapest; they usually work around the clock. However, what exchange rate will be applied is a mystery; it may depend on your bank and payment system.
Rate difference and commission
Sometimes tourists are frightened by the presence of an additional commission for the exchange, so some guests of Budapest may want to find an exchanger with the inscription “no commission”. No problem! Such exchangers exist, but keep in mind that they can have a very bad exchange rate compared to those exchangers that take a commission (in addition, it is worth clarifying whether “no commission” applies to all transactions).
A simple example, a real case: in the “no commission” exchanger you can get 2680 HUF for 10 euros, and in the exchanger with a clearly stated commission - 3080 HUF (this is after deducting the same commission). In other words, in the second exchanger you get 15% more forints!
By the way, strictly speaking, exchangers cannot do without additional fees, because in Hungary there is a small tax (fractions of a percent) on currency exchange operations that exchangers must pay. When exchanging money in “no commission” exchangers, you de facto still pay this tax, just not knowing it.
Another thing is that some exchangers are cunning with commissions. One of the typical examples is a progressive scale, when the exchanger sets the commission amount depending on the amount that you exchange/receive in your hands. The larger the amount, the higher the commission. Sometimes it's all pretty well done, but sometimes the scale works against those who change round amounts. For example, it may turn out that you can exchange 25 euros in some exchange office at a much better rate than 20 or 30 euros.
Coins are not always accepted for exchange, and usually an additional commission is charged for the exchange of coins. In general, when exchanging small amounts (up to 10 euros), the exchange rate can be very unfavorable, up to 1100 forints for 5 euros, for example.
In order to understand where the most favorable rate is, it is worth going around several exchangers and making calculations in your head or using a calculator - or directly ask the operators how much you will receive forints for a particular amount of euros. If you do not show excessive fanaticism and do not bypass all the exchange offices in the area, it will not take so much time, and the savings in the end can be quite good.
It is worth adding that the size of the commission can vary widely. Information about the commission is usually posted near the window, on the glass.
What scoreboard numbers to look at?
As a rule, exchangers have electronic scoreboards that indicate exchange rates. First find desired currency, and then the buy and sell rate bars. Remember that euros/dollars are being bought from you, that is, the buying rate will be applied, and it is always the smaller of the two. If suddenly in the first column the rate is higher than in the second, then, most likely, the exchanger in the first column indicates the rate of sale, not purchase. This is rare - but is done for the sake of baiting unlucky tourists.
Is it possible to sell forints later if they remain?
Oh sure. Exchangers not only sell forints, but also buy them. Of course, the buying rate will be lower than the selling rate.
How can you immediately understand that the course is unprofitable?
Look at the difference between the buy rate and the sell rate. If it is large, then the exchange rate is unfavorable (say, buying euros at 270 forints and selling at 315 = unfavorable exchange rate). If the difference is small (say, buying at 307 and selling at 314), then the rate can be profitable, but you need to look at the size of the commission.
Where is the best place to buy forints?
I would advise buying them in exchangers on the streets of the city, and not at railway stations / bus stations and not at the airport. Most likely, in the city you can find a better course (but it is unlikely that these will be the most touristy places like the square in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral). Arriving at the train station / bus station / airport, you can exchange some small amount (say, 10 euros), and exchange larger amounts in the city center.
Hungary Hotels
Budapest hotels, unlike many European capitals, have a very high rate"price quality". Especially, oddly enough, this applies to the economy class. Budapest "treshka" is a full breakfast ("buffet"), cozy spacious rooms, furnished with modern furniture and friendly staff. Wealthy tourists can stay in golf hotels and castles. The vast majority of city hotels are very conveniently located, and employees often speak Russian.
Mains voltage 220 V, 50 Hz.
Banks and exchange offices
What money to take with you?
Euro.
Where to change money in Hungary?
Money in Hungary can be changed at banks and exchange offices. It is preferable to change large amounts of money in banks such as: OTR Bank and Orszagos Takarekpenstar, etc.
Banks are open on weekdays from 8:00 to 16:00, on Saturdays and Sundays, as a rule, all banks are closed, but in the center of Budapest, many currency exchange offices are open on weekends. Around the clock, money can be exchanged either in hotels or in currency exchange machines. In addition, in cities there are many ATMs and exchange offices, both simple and automated. A certificate of currency exchange must be kept before leaving the country. The exchange rate in the city is about the same, but at airports and train stations it is quite overpriced.
Please note that it will be problematic to make a reverse exchange into hard currency. Banks still can only convert 50% of the amount of money, but not more than 100 USD, while monetary commission will already be 7%! When exchanging money for more than 20 thousand forints, in Hungary you will need to present your passport.
Credit cards
Hungary accepts credit cards of the world's largest payment systems (Visa, American Express, Mastercard). Credit card payments can be made almost anywhere. Cash out credit card you can at the bank and at one of the many ATMs.
Shopping & Shopping
Modern Budapest, like a hundred years ago, during the time of the mighty Austro-Hungarian Empire, is one of the most dynamically developing and fashionable capitals in Europe. The number of fashion boutiques, large shopping centers offering the widest range of goods is increasing here from year to year.
Shopping in Hungary will bring a lot of pleasure, first of all, with its originality: in addition to branded stores, famous brands, you will find many small shops with cute knick-knacks and famous flea markets where lovers of antiquity and history can find real treasures. There is a special group of shops here that have not lost their unique charm and color to this day, selling a variety of Hungarian goods: porcelain, crystal, lace napkins, embroidered tablecloths and many, many others. Moreover, these small islands of antiquity and comfort did not get lost among the huge competitors - the brainchild of globalization, but, on the contrary, found their niche in the commercial world of the city.
Traditional Hungarian souvenirs are drinks and delicacies: goose liver, which is not inferior to French foie gras, salami sausage, which was a long-awaited shortage of Soviet times. Traditional Hungarian paprika - ground red pepper, which gives dishes a sharpness and a unique appetizing shade, charming sweet marzipan figurines, light Hungarian wines and the pride of the nation - the famous Tokay wine, Unicum bitter balm, strong Hungarian palinka (fruit vodka)
All these culinary delights can be bought in an ordinary Hungarian supermarket. But a much wider selection of delicacies, the amount of information and qualified assistance from the seller will be provided in branded and specialized stores.
Hungary produces a lot of quality clothing from good materials and at affordable prices. Hungarian bathing suits, gloves and other leather goods are well known. Hungarian factories produce high quality shoes. In addition, in Hungary you can buy clothes and shoes from the world's leading manufacturers.
Almost all brands of fashionable clothes and shoes are presented here. In Hungary, you can easily find what you want at a price that suits you. The discount season for autumn-winter collections begins after the New Year and lasts until the end of February - beginning of March. Discounts on spring-summer clothes and shoes start in August and last for a couple of months. But in addition to seasonal price cuts, many boutiques offer discounts on certain items throughout the year.
To stock up on food and other goods, we advise you to go to the shopping complex 
Located in the Ujpest area, practically outside the city (address: Auchan Dunakeszi, Nadas u. 6). The store is open until 22:00, on Sunday - until 20:00. You can get to it by a free bus that leaves every hour from the Heroes' Square and goes to the Aquaworld water park. The ride is only about 25 minutes. Not far from the water park is, in fact, Auchan. There is a large food supermarket, shoe and clothing stores, a profitable exchange office, and an area with cafes. Well, of course, ideal if you combine a visit to the water park with shopping.
In addition, among the budget shops, where you can, however, purchase a fairly wide range of fresh products, you can include the Kaiser's, Spar and Match chains. You can meet them in almost every area. The German chains Aldi, Penny and Lidl are somewhat less common. Good an option is Tesco stores, but they, like Auchan, are quite far from the center.
Some supermarkets are open on Sunday (sometimes only until lunchtime, sometimes until the evening, as on ordinary days). Compared to others European countries this is seen as a great achievement.
Institutional work
In Budapest, grocery stores and shopping centers are usually open from 07:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, and from 07:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays. On Sundays, only some large supermarkets are open until 14:00. Clothing stores and others consumer goods and department stores are open from 10 am to 6 pm on weekdays, on Saturdays - from 09 am to 1 pm.
Museums, as a rule, are open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, the day off is Monday. Many museums are open one day a week for free admission. Banks are open on weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm, on Fridays from 8 am to 1 pm, on Saturdays and Sundays banks are closed.
Tips
The usual amount of tips left in Hungarian restaurants, cafes, salons is 10-20% of the final bill.
Food cost
The cost of a "typical" dinner: from 10 euros.
