Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destinations

Travel Prices in Hungary

Hungary can still be one of The World’s Cheapest Destinations in the countryside, but in Budapest, fuggetaboutit. Prices in Budapest are only slightly less than those in a U.S. city except for a few key items and services noted below. (Which still makes it a bargain compared to London or Paris, of course.) Once you get out of Budapest, prices get far more reasonable. So think of Hungary as a relative deal for Europe, but far pricier than bargain destinations on other continents. On the flip side, things work well, you can drink the water, and the food is yummy, especially if you’re a carnivore.

Hostel bed in Budapest – $14 to $26
Hostel bed in Balaton region – $12 to $22
Cheap double room in Budapest – $65 to $100
Cheap double room in Balaton region – $25 to $45
Ten-minute taxi ride: $3
0.5 liter beer in a grocery store 65 cents to $1
0.5 liter beer in a convenience store – $0.90 to $2
0.5 liter beer in a restaurant or pub – $2 to $4
Glass of basic wine – 90 cents at festival, $2 simple restaurant, $3.25 nicer restauarnt
Soda in convenience store or simple restaurant – $1.25 to $1.80
Hungarian pastry, simple store – 30 cents to $1.25
Ice cream treat in café – $1.50 to $2.50
Liter of mineral water in stores 60 cents to $1.25
Internet access: $1.50/hr. in café, $5.75 to $8 an hour in hotel
Liter of gas: $1.65 (as in $6.60 a gallon)

Notes: mineral water or soda in any restaurant is often the same price as beer. Beets and potatoes are almost free if you’re cooking. Electronics and clothes are more expensive than they are in the U.S. Bottles of wine are only marked up about double the retail price at most in restaurants.

Related posts:

1. Travel Prices in Ecuador
2. Prices in Peru for Travelers
3. Why Prices Go Up in Countries That Were Cheap
4. Travel Prices in Laos