Budapest

Budapest Guide for Budget Travelers

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Price of Services in Budapest

Hostels - Hostels in Budapest are extremely cheap for a major capital city. The summer will be more expensive than the fall and winter months as expected. The starting price for a 10-20 dorm room in the fall or winter will start from 5€ ($6USD). Anything in the summer time for a 10-20 bed dorm will cost upward up of 9€ ($10USD). Anything under 10 beds will usually cost more. Expect to pay 7€ ($7.50USD) or more for 4-8 person dorm room in the fall or winter. Summer prices for a 4-8 bed dorm will start at 11€ ($12USD). Private dorm rooms in the fall or winter will start around 12€ ($13USD). Summer prices for a private will be anywhere from 17€ ($18USD). Weekends will also effect prices. The most expensive days to rent a hostel bed is Friday and Saturday nights.

Food Costs - Food in Budapest can be cheap if you go to the right place. Stay away from tourist traps near the river. Anything over 8€ ($9USD) is too much for any meal of the day. Starting prices for a budget breakfast will be 2€ ($2.50USD), 3€ ($3.50USD) for a budget lunch and 7€ ($8USD) for a budget sit-down dinner. Upper scale restaurants will cost a pretty penny. Expect to pay 1€ ($1.50USD) or more for a beer (pint) at a bar. Wine is a staple in Hungary. There are hundreds of wineries in the region. Be sure to try out a few of them on your trip. A glass of wine at a bar will cost 1.75€ ($2USD).

Transportation - Transportation in Budapest will cost a fortune if you aren't careful. A taxi from the main airport to the city center will cost around 24-45€ ($26-50USD). A luxury bus from the airport to the city center will cost 14€ ($16USD). A suburban train from the airport to the city center will cost around 1.50€ ($2USD). Avoid taxis as much as possible in Budapest due to its costly 6€ ($7USD) for 3km (1.8 miles) of travel. Metro buses are also a good option at 1.50€ ($1.75USD) for any stop in the city limits. I recommend buying a tram/bus pass at 7€ ($8USD) for 24-hours worth of travel if you plan on seeing the whole city in one day. There are plenty of bike shops in the city. The cheapest bike shop (Velo Touring) in Budapest rents bikes for 14€ ($15USD) for 24 hours, 12€ ($13USD) for 2 days equaling 24€ and 11€ ($12USD) for 3 days equaling 33€.

Activities - Museums will cost upward of 13€ ($14USD) for some exhibitions. The Buda Castle is free for all visitors. The Buda Castle cable car will cost 5€ ($6USD) one way or 8€ ($9USD) two ways. The Parliament Building tour will cost 11.50€ ($12.50USD). Walking tours are popular amongst backpackers due to the tour being free and based on tips.

Best Ways to Save Money

Book in Advance - To save some added dough, always book your transportation, hostels and tours in advance. Doing this can save upward of 40-50%.

Buy Food at Grocery Stores - Buy your food and beer at a grocery store. Food and beer will be 30-40% cheaper than a restaurant. Beer in a grocery store is usually .50€ ($.60USD) per bottle (.5L). Buying food at a grocery store can be done with 6€ ($7USD) a day if you budget right.

Couchsurfing - Staying with a local instead of a hostel will save a ton of money. But don't use this site solely to help your wallet. It's a great way to make new friends who can show you the "local" spots that tourists don't know about. Couchsurfing hosts tend to ignore abusers of the system. Offer to cook a meal or two in exchange for their gratitude.

Red Flags

Pickpocketing - This is a common occurrence in Europe. For men, make sure to put your wallet in your front pocket. For women, make sure to put your purse against your chest at all times. Strangers will walk by and snatch purses right off the victim's shoulder.

Walking Around at Night - Be sure to walk in a group at night. There are random beatings of tourists if in the wrong place at the wrong time.