Menu
Expat.com
Search
Magazine
Search

Missing Hungary

cdw057

I’m looking for some practical, experience‑based input and thought this would be the right place to ask.

My wife and I lived in Hungary for about seven years and left roughly four years ago, relocating to Türkiye. At the time, there were several reasons for the move:


Our property in Hungary had become too demanding (a village near Hévíz, ~3,000 m² garden and a ~280 m² house), especially for my wife to manage.

My own physical abilities were already starting to decline.

We also received a relatively good offer for the property, which made the timing sensible.


We are generally happy in Türkiye and currently live in Mahmutlar, where the general infrastructure is excellent. However, my physical condition has continued to deteriorate. We now live in a duplex, and stair climbing has become very difficult for me, which is a growing problem.

There are also some additional concerns here:


Private healthcare costs are high for us (currently around EUR 1,000 per month).

Residency permit (ikamet) rules and renewals feel increasingly uncertain.

Realistically, at some point we may be forced to move again.


Because of this, we are starting to look at alternatives. Hungary is one option again (Hévíz in particular), and Bulgaria (Burgas area) is another.

Hévíz has several advantages for us:


We already know the town and some people there.

The lake is a major plus for my wife.

We are familiar with Hungarian bureaucracy and how things work in practice.


That said, we are running into a practical difficulty. Although there are many houses and apartments advertised in and around Hévíz, surprisingly few seem genuinely suitable for people with limited mobility. This is a bit unexpected, given Hévíz’s reputation as a spa and health‑oriented town.

Additionally, asking prices often seem to be at the higher end, especially considering the age and condition of many properties.

To be concrete, our rough requirements would be:


Minimum ~120 m²

Three bedrooms

No more than ~700 metres from Hévíz lake

Layout suitable for reduced mobility (minimal or no stairs, lift if apartment, etc.)


I would be interested to hear from anyone with recent experience of:


The current property market in Hévíz or nearby areas

Finding genuinely mobility‑friendly housing there

Whether our expectations are realistic, or if we should be adjusting our assumptions


Any constructive input or first‑hand experience would be much appreciated.

See also