Revealed: These nationalities buy the most property in Hungary – surprising countries in the top ranks

A total of 6,600 foreign citizens purchased property in Hungary last year, spending more than HUF 309 billion, according to fresh data released by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH). This represents 6.4% of all residential transactions, confirming that non-Hungarian buyers remain key players in the domestic housing market. Although the number of foreign purchasers still falls short of the near-record figures seen in 2022, demand began to rise again in 2024.

Germans still lead, while Chinese buyers surge ahead

As in previous years, German citizens bought the most property in 2024, completing 1,369 transactions, primarily in Western and Southern Transdanubia. The Chinese saw a remarkable rise, moving into second place with 708 purchases — just two years earlier, they ranked only fifth.

Romanian and Slovak buyers shared third place with 671 transactions each. British demand, however, plummeted dramatically: instead of 601 buyers in 2023, only 77 British nationals appeared on the Hungarian property market last year.

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Far Eastern demand focuses heavily on Budapest

Foreign buyers accounted for 7.8% of all transactions in the capital, but their total spending reached 10% of Budapest’s entire residential turnover. This indicates that they typically purchase higher-value properties.

Differences between nationalities are striking: Chinese and Vietnamese buyers appear almost exclusively in Budapest, especially in the inner Pest districts. Nearly 19% of all foreign transactions took place in Districts V–VIII.

In contrast, demand in the countryside mainly comes from neighbouring countries. Romanians tend to focus on Békés, Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties, while Slovak buyers are particularly active in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Győr-Moson-Sopron.