Everyday Life in Hungary
Budgeting
Hungary is a country that has only recently joined the EU and its economy is still developing and this tends to mean that the cost of living there is lower than in Western European countries, especially outside Budapest.
The minimum wage in Hungary is only 65,500 Fts (approx 260 EUR) per month though this is little more than a subsistence sum.. If you want to pay your rent, go out occasionally, and have the odd meal at a restaurant it is recommended that you need at least 100,000Fts (400 EUR) per month.
Here is a list of essentials to give you a rough idea of prices (2006):
- 1 kg loaf of bread: 200-300 FT (0,8-1,2 EUR)
- 1 litre milk: 190-240 FT (0,7-1 EUR)
- 6 eggs: 200 FT (0,8 EUR)
- 1 kg sugar: 140 FT (0,6 EUR)
- 1 bottle of beer: 200 FT (0,8 EUR)
- 1 bottle of wine: 500-3000 FT (2-12 EUR)
- single bus ticket: 170 FT (0,7 EUR)
- monthly student pass: 2950 FT (12 EUR)
- cinema ticket: 1000 FT (4 EUR)
- museum entry fee: 500-1000 FT (2-4 EUR)
- postage for a letter or postcard (international): 110-170 FT (0,4-0,7 EUR)
Student’s budget
- Accommodation: 20.000-50.000 FT (80-200 EUR)
- Food and drink: 20.000 FT (80 EUR)
- Mobility: 2000 FT (8 EUR)
- Insurance: 15.000 FT (60 EUR)
- Leisure activity / recreation: 2000-12.000 FT (8-44 EUR)
- Other (clothing, medical expenses, etc.): 1000-10.000 FT (4-40 EUR)
Total: 60.000-119.000 FT (240-476 EUR)
Banking - Money transactions:
The official Hungarian currency is the Forint (Ft, HUF).
You can exchange money in banks, exchange stalls or cash points, but bank cards are also increasingly being accepted.
Foreign citizens may keep their funds in a bank in Hungary in the currency of their choice.
Major credit cards are widely accepted in Hungary.
Foreigners can open a Forint-based account or other currency-based USD, Euro) account quite easily, though it is likely that a minimum deposit will be
required.
In order to obtain a bank card, an up-front deposit (usually of Forint
50,000 or € 200) is needed.
Regular branches are usually open from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Thursday.
On Friday, banks close earlier , usually at 3 or 4 p.m. With the exceptions of some shopping mall bank outlets, Hungarian banks are not open Saturday. All banks are closed on Sundays and on state holidays.
ATM machines are accessible 24/7 throughout the country.
The most common ways of paying rent and utilities in Hungary is pre-authorised bank transfer, of postal checks.
Utilities
If you rent an apartment, the postman will show up with your water, gas and electricity bills on a monthly basis. You must pay these by cash at the post office or by bank transfer.
Please note that in Hungary appliances run on 220-volt electricity. Most Australian appliances will therefore run on this but you will need an adaptor for the wall sockets.
Accommodation – see separate page |
Transport
You can pick up free city maps and public transport maps at travel agencies, airports, bus and train stations, and tourist information booths.
Local public transport:
This means mainly buses, but there are also trams in Budapest, Szeged, Miskolc and Debrecen. Budapest has the most comprehensive public transport system, including buses, trams, metro/underground lines, and the HÉV, which are suburban commuter trains. If you want to get from A to B there is an entertaining selection of routes from which to choose. The three metro lines are the yellow (1st), red (2nd), and blue (3rd). The HÉV connects the capital with surrounding towns and villages that make ideal destinations for weekend excursions (e.g. Szentendre and Gödöllő). On the main bus lines there are night services that run between 11 pm and 4:30 am, naturally according to a special timetable.
Remember to buy your ticket before getting on the bus and to validate it on the vehicle. Bus and tram drivers may also sell tickets, but for a higher price. Metro tickets are sold at the station entrance and must be validated before getting on the escalator. At the kiosks in metro stations you can buy a whole range of tickets and passes. The ticket kiosks are open during the day. If you travel using a ticket, always keep it ready to show to the ticket inspector - without a valid ticket you will have to pay a fine.
Public transport within the country:
Trains: Train tickets are fairly cheap in Hungary once you have a student ID. Intercity trains are the smoothest way to travel: they are fast and comfortable, and tickets cost only 440 HUF more than for an ordinary train. Train tickets must be purchased in advance at the train station or from a travel agent. Budapest has three major train stations: the Eastern Railway Station (Keleti Pályaudvar) and the Southern Railway Station (Déli Pályaudvar) are both on the 2nd (red) metro line, and the Western Railway Station (Nyugati Pályaudvar) which is on the 3rd (blue) metro line. A Hungarian student ID card entitles you to a 90% discount monthly ticket between your place of residence and your school, if they are not in the same town. If they are, you can have the usual 67,5% student discount on all routes you have in the country. The very smart site called Elvira will help you plan your route and give you information on ticket prices.
Coaches: Tickets for coaches can be bought from the driver, but it is more convenient to purchase one in advance to be sure to get a seat. Coaches are traditionally yellow, but the colour of them could vary some parts of Hungary.
Airport:
International air traffic goes through one airport, Ferihegy, near Budapest. From the airport you can take a minibus to your destination. The Airport Minibus Service has a desk at the airport. This service, like the MALÉV (Hungarian Airlaines) transfer bus, has a set price independent of your destination within Budapest, but you should call it 24 hrs before you travel. A taxi to the airport costs about 5,000 HUF.
Phone
Public phones that work with coins are rare. (Those left in service work with 10, 20, 50, and 100 forint coins.) A more convenient option is to buy a phone card at a newsstand, post office or filling station and use a phone that works with a card. For long-distance calls within the country you need to dial 06l; for international calls, dial 00 followed by the country code, area code and number. Country codes can be found in phone books and listed in phone booths. Green numbers starting with 06 80 are free of charge.
Mobile phone networks of the following service providers can be used all around the country: Pannon, T-Mobile, and Vodafone. They all have prepaid cards that you can buy at newsstands, post offices and the stores of the mobile company and nearly everywhere.
General emergency number is 112.
The free number for the ambulance service is 104.
The free number on which to call the police is 107.
The free number for fire service is 105.
Hungarian & International Student ID
If you have a student ID in your own country all you need to do is obtain an international student ID before coming to Hungary. This will entitle you to reductions on train and coach tickets, museum entrance fees, Youth Hostel accommodation, and library membership.
In order to obtain a Hungarian student ID, the International Department of the institute to to which you are coming must be able to supply it. Take with you your attendance certificate, your letter of acceptance from the institute, and (if you have a state scholarship) the letter confirming your state grant, as you will be asked to show them. The Hungarian ID allows you to access even more benefits: 50% off all transportation prices, library membership fees, museum entrance fees, and cinema tickets for films starting before 19.00, reduced prices in certain restaurants, and a number of other discounts.
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