Even foreigners are shocked by the brutal prices at Budapest Christmas Fairs

An American tourist was outraged by the hair-raising price he had to fork out for a traditional Hungarian lángos with toppings. According to a Hungarian news outlet, the Budapest Christmas fairs appear to be tailored for tourists not for Hungarian families. However, if even the tourists find the prices for food, gifts and drinks exorbitant, one wonders if they might reconsider coming back next year.

As reported by Szeretlek Magyarország, an American tourist, Ken Pedersen, shared his Budapest experience on Facebook, baffled by the horrendous prices at the Vörösmarty Square Christmas fair, a globally renowned fair drawing thousands of tourists to the Hungarian capital annually.

Mr Pedersen wrote he had to pay HUF 14,000 (USD 40) for a traditional Hungarian lángos with toppings such as stuffed cabbage, sausage and sour cream, questioning the correctness of such pricing.

Later, he updated his post, clarifying that he had ordered two main courses (stuffed cabbage and sausage) along with his lángos, explaining the higher cost. Despite the hefty price tag, he couldn’t get over how good the lángos tasted, though admitting it was too much for one person. HERE you can read his post.

Are Budapest Christmas markets losing their local charm?

We reported earlier HERE  on the horrific prices at the Vörösmarty Christmas fair. Telex.hu, a Hungarian news outlet, went there to investigate the matter. They wrote that most of the food stands, offering traditional Hungarian delicacies, were catering more to tourists than locals.

A woman from Baja said she only treated herself to a glass of mulled wine when visiting the Advent market as she could not afford the main dishes. “Prices are not for Hungarian wallets”, she explained. She added she would like to see Hungarian families and pensioners in the Budapest Christmas fairs like back in the day, contrasting her experiences in Italy where locals are a common sight at Italian fairs, a phenomenon seemingly absent in Hungary.

Hidden gems for budget-conscious visitors

Notwithstanding the steep prices, there are also a handful of budget-friendly options at the Budapest Christmas fairs. For 2,500 (EUR 6.6), you can snack on a plate of potato with onion and chicken, Hungarian lecsó with sausage or spinach-stuffed meat with tomato and a side dish.

A pair of English tourists, visiting Budapest for the first time, were pleasantly surprised by the affordable prices. They paid only GBP 2 for a decilitre of wine, a stark contrast to the GBP 7 it would have cost in Manchester.

However, a Hungarian woman was taken aback by the HUF 5,500 (EUR 14.5) cost of goulash soup with coke, noting that even Lake Balaton is not as expensive during the summer.

Read also:

• Shopping changes in Hungary: price monitoring system updated – Read more HERE
• Renovated restaurant in Budapest City Park is stunning – Details in THIS article