Living expenses in Budapest

Panni36 wrote:

According to numbeo.com the "Cost of Living in Budapest" is as follows:

"single person monthly costs: USD 811.32  (158,554.58Ft) without rent"

That does not check out with the broken-down expenses they are listing.

The single person cost is from their cost of living calculator, where 4 persons is replaced by 1 person and leaving all other settings as the default.

If you change any option such as eat out more than 10% of the time, or use a more expensive restaurant, then total expenses go up of course. And if you scroll down you can see their algorithm (such as it estimates you will buy 7.2 loafs of white bread a month). if you buy more bread, then your costs will be of course higher.

Panni36 wrote:

Based on prices of food items, I figured HUF 115,000 groceries, and according to the prices they put on transportation pass, some taxi, utilities, internet, phone, gym and HUF 30,000 for "unknown extras" those came to a total of HUF 175,000 for a total of 290,000 Ft 

Food HUF 115,000
Other expenses HUF 175,000
(plus, rent)

It seems that living expenses WITHOUT RENT should come to HUF 290,000 and not 158,554 as per numbeo.com

Which one do you think is more realistic?

You know yourself best. So I would suspect your estimates are more accurate.

For example, my wife and I together would take about two months to spend 115,000 on groceries. But that is just us, and everyone differs.

If your going to rent in the city then I would say the closer to 300,000 per month is more realistic.
Could be less but best to figure on more expensive then get stuck.
At least half that amount would be on rent and household bills.
Not sure about Ozie  money but 300,000 is roughly $1,200 US per month.
Rent in the city is going to be eating up more of that allowance  then food will. Oh , don't forget to add in the cost of wine.
Wine anywhere from 500 F to 2,500 or so a bottle depending on your pleasure.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

If your going to rent in the city then I would say the closer to 300,000 per month is more realistic.
Could be less but best to figure on more expensive then get stuck.
At least half that amount would be on rent and household bills.
Not sure about Ozie  money but 300,000 is roughly $1,200 US per month.
Rent in the city is going to be eating up more of that allowance  then food will. Oh , don't forget to add in the cost of wine.
Wine anywhere from 500 F to 2,500 or so a bottle depending on your pleasure.

Thanks Marilyn!

I have been looking at rentals.  I do not need a large space, 45-60 sq meters is fine, but I want nearly new, or fully renovated as I am a neatfreak and don't like things falling apart.  Don't need to be in the center of town either, so long as I am near public transportation.  I think I like Szentendre, since it is an artist community and I started painting and even showing and selling my paintings last year. 

Have looked through about a hundred listings on Hungarian sites (the ones that are in English for foreigners have more expensive rates), and it seems that I can get something nice even furnished reasonably well for HUF 150,000 to HUF 200,000.  I figured the utilities/TV/cell phone expenses to be another HUF 45,000 for the total rental plus expenses to be no more than HUF 250,000...  Is this right?

If I get unfurnished, I will get stuff from IKEA.  Looked-up everything I might need from there and also TV and other stuff and all came to about HUF 1.5 million for have everything I need down to decor, kitchen stuff, sheets, towels, etc. 

Just need space for an easel, so I can paint...

If you have FB access, here are my photos where you can see some of my paintings:

https://www.facebook.com/livia.sappington/photos_all

Szentendre is very nice.
I have not really looked into living there, from what I noticed from just a few days trips there is that there are mostly homes out that way.
I am sure they have apts. but downtown proper it is old older buildings one story or so high.
Looks like a quiet place to live.
My husband cousin lived there , his wife still is out that way, they were both very active in the artist community.
He passed on a couple years ago and we no longer are in touch with his wife.
Don't think it is very cheap out that way though at all.

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Szentendre is very nice.
I have not really looked into living there, from what I noticed from just a few days trips there is that there are mostly homes out that way.
I am sure they have apts. but downtown proper it is old older buildings one story or so high.
Looks like a quiet place to live.
My husband cousin lived there , his wife still is out that way, they were both very active in the artist community.
He passed on a couple years ago and we no longer are in touch with his wife.
Don't think it is very cheap out that way though at all.

I like Szentendre, BECAUSE it seems like quiet place...  I lived in New York City for over 26 years and loved it at the time.  Dallas, Los Angeles area not so much...  Also traveled to 31 countries and lived in five.  Have seen over 250 cities...  Now I enjoy living in a charming place an hour outside of Sydney, Australia.  Not into the "city action" anymore.  I also like Szentendre, because it is a good place for artists and I intend to do more painting; hopefully even show my work in some local galleries (had three shows here in AU since I started painting last year - too bad they don't allow pictures of my paintings uploaded here)

I lived the jet-setting life, the eating out in different restaurants every night, the shopping, keeping-up with fashion and social events for many years.  Never really liked it, and now I want a quiet life.  I am not into crowds, and people.  I love to write, but constant company is not my thing.  I enjoy walking/hiking alone, eating alone, shopping alone, discovering new things alone, watching TV alone (mostly the news and an occasional movie) and, of course, painting and writing while I am alone.  I guess that makes me a weirdo, but it suits me well...

I have been looking at a lot of apartments on Hungarian sites.  All I need is about 45-65 square meters, but I want something charming and updated furnished.  I found quite a few under HUF 200,000, which is what my budget is without utilities for a rental.

I am not 100% sure ATM but as a Hungarian citizen who is returning to Hungary and never declared to not be a HU citizen, you would have zero business in immigration.
My husband went in many years ago and they told him he had nothing to do with immigration because he was still a citizen of HUngary no matter how many years he was gone.
Just did all his business inside our districts city hall.
I would go that route first because no one in their right mind would wish to deal with immigration services unless they had to.

As far a living expenses go, today we went to the Lehel Piac and I saw fresh salmon for sale, the cost was 6,800 Forints per kilo.
I think salmon is allot cheaper in the US as well as trout.

I am guessing you never had children.they do tend to cramp ones "style".
I have heard people with high I. Q.'s tend to like being alone allot.
Welcome to the club!
If not for my husband I wouldn't have too many contacts although I like to believe I am likeable and fun to hang with.
I get bored easy with people who don't let their real selves shine.
Not many people can say they have done or seen as much as you have.
Just hope for your sake that Hungary suits you and you do not become sorry.
There are tons of nice places here but those here who can afford to do pricey things are a  drag, think a bit too much of themselves and are in my humble opinion , Jerks!
In the US and other countries people do not judge on money as much.
I know in the few gyms I went to there were million dollar babies and a few billion dollar dolls.
My own little son was going out for a long while to a much older then he, about 12 years older  senior lady from Japan who was a real life multi- million dollar baby.
I used to take yoga classes with her and never knew until the day I took my son with me to the gym and here comes a pretty bleached blonde Japanese women who gets out of downward dog pose and walks up to my son and gives him a huge smack on the lips.
I was beyond "shocked" this was the lady he had been telling me about.
Her parents were both Japanese and were together growing up in a orphanage in Paris , France.
So insane .
They opened up several antique shops and traveled the world together before she was born.
She went to exclusive private schools in Paris.
Her parent bought their own private jet and it crashed.
She got a ton of cash money from the accident with her parents.Huge suit against the jet co.
The only reason she was living long term in Vegas and not anywhere else in the world was because of the dry weather.
She had gone skiing in Switzerland in her 20's and someone did something wrong and crashed into her on the slopes.
She broke both of her legs in the accident and had pins and rods in both of her legs.
The Vegas weather suited her bones.
She lived in some  luxury apt. house in Vegas where her neighbor was Janet Jackson and she had 2 matching Mercedes , just in case one ever had to go into  the shop.
She let my son drive her all over with that nice car etc.
Believe me, he should of pushed that relationship to the max but he is a nice kid and didn't want to be a phony.
Odd because my father would of pumped that situation for all it was worth. My son was not willing to go down the path of mental issues she had with her parents deaths etc. Money was not worth the hassle.

He is a real man I suppose and not willing to use women, would rather be used then use them.
Off track, once again. Just saying I can relate to what you said about living the good life.
Sometimes we find life is not all about money but about finding ourselves and finding peace.
I swear my last visit to the US I almost just stayed there and was willing to just forget about everything in Hungary.Al
Didn't care that I was leaving our flat and most of my belongings.
It's more about peace then things. To me relationships and family mean more then anything in the world to me. Strange really since I only had one child and from the outside it would seem that family isn't all that to me. I love extended family allot guess that's also important then just having your own children and family.

So off topic, should follow up on absolutely anything else.
Just not sure how to move this over there.

Hi there sister welcome home I also going home from Las Vegas I'm Istvan Steven. The 158,000 huf is correct go to YouTube  search box Hungary  cost of average  living you well find much there in video good luck stay in touch hope to see you there .

xidiz wrote:

Hi there sister welcome home I also going home from Las Vegas I'm Istvan Steven. The 158,000 huf is correct go to YouTube  search box Hungary  cost of average  living you well find much there in video good luck stay in touch hope to see you there .

Thank you.  The Youtube videos were very helpful!  When are you moving to Hungary?

Its always hard to give an exact figure because everyone has different eating habits. Prices are constantly changing normally going up in price sadly. Last year there was a problem with some veg due to a bad season and had to be imported in from the USA.

Your first month will be the most expensive because you will be starting from scratch, but then the following weeks will just be topping up.

Not sure if it really applies to us all with wine, but because yet again bad seasons the price is set to increase quite a bit. This was news coming from the UK. I've not heard anything affecting Hungary or Austria yet. Even my neighbour who is a wine tavern has not said anything to me. But at €2.50 for 1.5 litres, if it went up 50 cents, I would not be complaining.

SimCityAT wrote:

Its always hard to give an exact figure because everyone has different eating habits. Prices are constantly changing normally going up in price sadly. Last year there was a problem with some veg due to a bad season and had to be imported in from the USA.

Your first month will be the most expensive because you will be starting from scratch, but then the following weeks will just be topping up.

Not sure if it really applies to us all with wine, but because yet again bad seasons the price is set to increase quite a bit. This was news coming from the UK. I've not heard anything affecting Hungary or Austria yet. Even my neighbour who is a wine tavern has not said anything to me. But at €2.50 for 1.5 litres, if it went up 50 cents, I would not be complaining.

Thanks!  I don't drink, so wine prices will not effect me : )

Try www.numbeo.com for living costs. There are other sites on Google too.

stumpy wrote:

Try www.numbeo.com for living costs. There are other sites on Google too.

Thank you!  numbeo.com is one of the sources I use.  The problem is that they give a sum of what is needed over and above rent, but when I add-up the expenses according to their list that breaks them down, I come up with a totally different number.  That is why I have been seeking info from people who actually live in Hungary.