To settle down in a new place is never easy, especially when talking about moving to a new country. Budapest is generally a welcoming city, and people are friendly with foreigners, even if they can't speak English or any other foreign language. Most of them will try to help you.
Learn the local language
The first thing that you can do to feel at home is to learn at least some basic Hungarian. It will be a big help in all spheres of your life from shopping to travelling, and it will make it much easier to get to know new people as well. You can learn it at home or through a language course like those provided by Magyar Iskola and Balassi Intezet.
Little Britain provides English lessons for locals as well as expats coming from non-English speaking countries. It also organises events where you can improve your English skills.
Networking websites and social media
You can meet people through online groups like the ones on Facebook or on Meetup. Here are some of them:
- Hungary Expats
- Budapest Digital Nomads
- Digital Wombats Budapest
- International Meeting Point – IMP
- Budapest Language Exchange and Friends
You can also find English speaking programs in many bars and cafes like Eleszto Bar and Szimpla Kert. Besides, you can just visit any ruin pubs, and you will definitely find other foreigners with whom you can start a conversation or just practice Hungarian with locals.
Clubs in Budapest
If you have specific interests and hobbies, try to join a club to find likeminded people. You can join a walking or running club, or even a hiking club to discover the surroundings of the city, practice yoga in one of the English-speaking classes, or go on a tango class held in English.
If you are more interested in arts, you must visit Brody House and Brody Studios, which are central points for expats and local writers, artists and journalists. Many cultural events are organised here, from comedy nights to literary talks. You can find all upcoming events on their website.
You can even go and watch a show in English performed by the Budapest English Theatre. More prominent museums, like the Hungarian National Museum, Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Arts or the House of Terror Museum, offer tours with English-speaking guides.
Various walking tours are organised as well, some of them are free, as you can see on Trip to Budapest. For some, you have to pay an admission fee, but it is an easy way to find people who also want to learn more about the city, its history and the people living here.
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