Compared to other European university cities, students can rent an apartment in Hungary at a much more affordable price during their studies. Let’s see how much it costs to rent a small student flat in Budapest and in the university towns in the countryside.
The admission thresholds for higher education institutions were announced on 21 July. This period is a boom in the rental market every year as students rush to find flats. In order to facilitate their decision, the Hungarian real estate agency Otthon Centrum has compiled a guide to the rent prices in Budapest and in the university towns in the countryside. This can be useful for both local students studying in other cities than their hometowns, as well as Erasmus students spending their next semester at a Hungarian university.
Read also: Guide for foreign students in Budapest
Budapest
Based on rental contracts signed in the first half of the year, the average price of one-room flats in the capital is around EUR 309 (~HUF 125,000). The average rent for two-room apartments in the city centre is EUR 459 (~HUF 186,000), while the cheapest two-room apartments in the suburbs of Pest cost EUR 353 (~HUF 143,000) – reported by the Hungarian news portal KKV Magazin. Flats larger than this are typically rented jointly by several students. In the case of three-bedroom flats, the most favourable offers are advertised in the suburbs of Pest and in the countryside. The average price for a three-bedroom flat in Buda was EUR 709 (~HUF 287,000), while in the inner districts of Pest it was EUR 509 (~HUF 206,000). Right before the announcement of the admission thresholds on 21 July, the rent of available rooms ranged between EUR 88-293 (~HUF 35,500-118,500) in the Hungarian capital.
University towns in the countryside
In the countryside, the average rent for a one-room apartment is EUR 185 (~HUF 75,000). In the case of two-rooms flats, tenants pay EUR 242 (~HUF 98,000) on a monthly basis. If more students would like to reside jointly, the average price they need to pay for a bigger three-bedroom apartment in the university towns is EUR 415 (~HUF 168,000).
A recently published summary of ingatlan.com also shows what are the rental prices in each Hungarian university city. Accordingly, the brick-built apartments for rent in Debrecen cost EUR 371 (~HUF 150,000). In Győr, Szeged and Pécs they are all EUR 346 (~HUF 140,000), and in Miskolc the average is EUR 247 (~HUF 100,000). In the case of apartments, Debrecen, Szeged and Pécs have the same rental price of EUR 297 (~HUF 120,000), while Győr and Miskolc have EUR 284 (~HUF 115,000) and EUR 241 (~HUF 97,500) respectively. In the university towns in question, rooms for rent were available for EUR 99-161 (~HUF 40,000-65,000) – reported by Pénzcentrum.
International comparison
Compared to other European university cities, Hungarian rental prices are very affordable. According to Numbeo, known as the world’s largest cost of living database, students pay the highest rental fee in London. Even in the outer suburbs of the city, the average price for a small one-bedroom apartment is EUR 1,584 (~HUF 640,000), while in the city centre it is EUR 2,138 (~HUF 864,000). In Ireland’s capital, Dublin, rents are close to London, while in Amsterdam, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in a non-central location is the equivalent of EUR 1,485 (~HUF 600,000). In the city centre of Delft, famous for its technical university, rents are around EUR 1,000 (~HUF 410,000), but on the outskirts of the city rents are up to 40% cheaper.
Vienna is also popular among university students. Here, rental prices in the inner districts are around EUR 923 (~373,000), while small flats in the suburbs are offered from EUR 495 (~HUF 200,000), with the average being EUR 668 (~HUF 270,000) for two rooms. Munich is more expensive, with an average of EUR 1064 (~HUF 430,000) for apartments further away from the city centre. In France, Spain and Italy, rental prices are much more affordable. In the non-central areas of Lyon or Bologna, you should expect to pay around EUR 500 (~HUF 205,000). Meanwhile in cities with tourist attractions, such as Barcelona, the monthly rental of an apartment is around EUR 742 (~HUF 300,000). Generally speaking, students can expect to find more affordable rents in rural university towns than in large cities.
Regarding the capitals of neighbouring countries, rents in non-central areas start from EUR 495 (~HUF 200,000) in Bratislava and Ljubljana. Meanwhile, in Zagreb, you can find rentals in the inner city for the same amount, while in the suburbs apartments are offered for a more affordable price: EUR 317 (~HUF 150,000).
Read alsoProperty prices and rents may fall in Hungary due to expensive gas and energy
