Staggering: Vienna cheaper than Budapest
Life has become more expensive in Austria compared to 2022. Therefore, the Vienna Christmas Fair is more expensive than last year. But in Budapest, you have to pay more for food than in the Austrian capital. Meanwhile, the median salary in our Western neighbour was around EUR 2,000 in 2022, but in Hungary, that sum did not reach EUR 900.
According to telex.hu, a grill hot dog costs HUF 8,000 in Budapest (EUR 21), while it is only EUR 8 in Vienna. The local Christmas fair opened on 10 November on Rathausplatz, the city’s heart. Thus, nobody can say it is in the outer districts. Like in Budapest, advent markets are in the downtowns of both capitals.
In Budapest, it is unimaginable that average school students go to eat a lángos at the Vörösmarty Square Christmas market or the Advent Basilica. However, in Vienna, that is regular.
People in Vienna walk with mugs brought from home to drink hot chocolate or hot wine because you must pay EUR 3 for a glass and EUR 5 for a mug. There are no plastic plates, and you can buy only ‘bio’ graded foods. Restaurants serve hot dogs, lángos or French fries in paper. Stews are served in porcelaine, which you must give back after you eat.
Vienna Christmas market more affordable than its counterpart in Budapest
Prices went up a bit. A hot dog cost EUR 7 last year. This year, it is EUR 8. But not EUR 21 like in Budapest. Langos Royal, the local “traditional Hungarian lángos” is EUR 14.5, but in Hungary, you have to pay EUR 17.
Classical Viennese hot wine and punch are more expensive than their counterparts in Budapest. The average price is EUR 6 in the Austrian capital but just EUR 4.3 in Budapest.
The most expensive food in Vienna costs EUR 15.5. It is a potato salad with beef Wiener schnitzel. In Hungary, that is the stuffed cabbage for EUR 15. Interestingly, the most popular food is lángos, even in Vienna.
A Hungarian couple, Vivien and Ádám, said locals are not satisfied with the prices, and they estimated the average increase to be 20%. They work in the catering sector and said they could not afford to eat out in the Christmas market in Budapest every week like they do in Vienna.
Read also:
- Budapest-Vienna railway connection to be restored with many changes – Read more HERE
- Congratulations! This Hungarian Christmas fair is Europe’s most beautiful – Details in THIS article
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