Budapest on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Budapest is one of the best capitals in Central Europe for a budget trip, with free viewpoints, cheap canteens and inexpensive transport. Plan on about HUF 32,500 per person per day (bed in a shared double HUF 15,000, food HUF 9,000, sights HUF 7,000, transport HUF 1,500), or less in a hostel.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | HUF15,000 | HUF28,000 | HUF60,000 |
| Food & drink | HUF9,000 | HUF18,000 | HUF40,000 |
| Sights & tickets | HUF7,000 | HUF15,000 | HUF25,000 |
| Local transport | HUF1,500 | HUF2,500 | HUF8,000 |
| Per person, per day | HUF32,500 | HUF63,500 | HUF133,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Budapest day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Fisherman's Bastion lower terraces, free before about 9:00, and the lanes of the Castle District
- Gellért Hill and the Liberty Statue for the widest view over the Danube
- The Shoes on the Danube Bank memorial near Parliament
- Margaret Island, a car-free park in the middle of the Danube
- Heroes' Square and City Park, including the outside of Vajdahunyad Castle
- The view of the floodlit Parliament from Batthyány Square at night
Cheap eats
- Főzelék (vegetable stew) with a topping in a canteen: roughly HUF 1,500–3,000
- Lángos at the Great Market Hall: roughly HUF 1,500–3,000
- Gulyásleves (goulash soup): roughly HUF 2,500–4,500
- Pörkölt with nokedli: roughly HUF 3,500–6,000
- A slice of Dobos torta or Rákóczi túrós in a cukrászda: roughly HUF 1,200–2,500
Where to sleep for less
District VII (the Jewish Quarter) has the cheapest central beds, with doubles roughly HUF 25,000–40,000 a night, but it is loud at weekends. Hostel dorm beds are often roughly HUF 6,000–12,000 a night. A tourist tax of a few percent of the room price is added.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre and buy a 24-hour (about HUF 2,500) or 72-hour travelcard for the metro, trams and buses; tram 2 along the Danube is a cheap sightseeing ride. From the airport, the 100E airport bus to Deák Ferenc tér is the cheapest direct option, at roughly HUF 2,200, on a special ticket.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Pastry and coffee from a bakery (about HUF 1,000), free Castle District and Fisherman's Bastion before 9:00
- Lunch: Főzelék with a topping in a canteen (about HUF 2,500)
- Afternoon: St Stephen's Basilica and its dome terrace, plus the free Shoes on the Danube Bank (roughly HUF 4,000–7,000 in tickets)
- Evening: Lángos and two beers in a ruin bar (about HUF 5,000), Parliament floodlit from Batthyány Square for free
- Total: about HUF 30,000–32,500 with a budget bed (about HUF 15,000) and public transport (about HUF 1,500)
More ways to save
- Choose one thermal bath visit for the trip and go on a weekday at opening.
- Buy groceries and pastries at supermarkets and bakeries rather than cafés on the main avenues.
- Take tram 2 along the Pest riverbank instead of a paid sightseeing bus.
- EU citizens should bring ID for the Parliament tour, since EU visitors pay less.
- Travel in November or between January and March for the cheapest rooms.
- Drink at ruin bars early in the evening, when they are calmer and you can see the prices clearly.
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Common questions
How much money do I need per day in Budapest?
About HUF 32,500 per person on a budget, about HUF 63,500 mid-range and about HUF 133,000 in comfort, including a bed in a shared double.
What is free in Budapest?
The Castle District, Fisherman's Bastion lower terraces in the early morning, Gellért Hill, the Shoes on the Danube Bank, Margaret Island and City Park.
What is the cheapest way from the airport?
The 100E airport bus to Deák Ferenc tér, roughly HUF 2,200, on a special ticket.