Budapest Accommodation

What are the top factors to keep in mind when searching for a place to live in your city?

  • Neighborhood - While some transferees prefer the inner city (which typically offers apartments), most tend to look for homes in the hilly Buda side of Budapest.
  • Overall transportation needs - Bad road conditions in the winter or heavy traffic might make areas next to public transportation much more appealing.
  • Commute to work - In the mornings and after office hours, traffic can be really heavy between your workplace and your home. A 10-minute drive on the weekend might translate to a 30-minute or one-hour drive during the week. The worst scenario is crossing the river Danube from the Buda side to the Pest side at around 8.30 a.m.

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What are the most popular neighborhoods in your city for expats?
Expatriates tend to seek housing on the Buda or western side of the city. Key residential areas are the I, II, III, XI and XII districts. The most popular residential areas on the Pest side are the centrally located districts V, VI and VII. The apartments in these districts are usually closer to workplaces but are a bit more urban, thus noisier.

  • The central districts on the Buda side are districts I and XII; these include Normafa, Istenhegy, Orbanhegy. Semi-detached houses and apartments are the most common options, providing a touch of the city. These two areas hold most of the quality rental housing capacity of Budapest.
  • The northern I, II and III districts include Rozsadomb, Pasaret, Verhalom, Huvosvolgy and Testverhegy. The schooling (American International School of Budapest, Ecoles Francais) is fine, with less-developed shopping options. Semi-detached and detached houses are available.
  • The southern residential areas in the XI district include Sashegy and Sasad, situated on two southwest-facing hill slopes. Detached houses are more common. There is one shopping mall – MOM - in the heart of this area and other shopping centers close by.

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Do expats tend to buy or rent their homes?
Expats usually rent their homes.
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Typically, will I be required to pay additional money up front (such as a deposit) before moving into leased housing? If so, how much is common?
Usually, you will be required to pay the equivalent of one or two months' rent as deposit, plus one month's rent up front.
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Are utilities generally included in the price of rent, or are they extra?
Typically, the utility fees (or the house maintenance costs) are not included in your tenant contract.
These are paid in addition to your rent.
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Are there special security concerns I should be aware of in regards to my home or choice of neighborhood?
Not in the areas described above. Also, most apartments and houses are equipped with door locks and alarm systems.
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I’m not sure if I should bring my appliances. What is the electric current, Hz and plug shape in your city?

  • Electric current: AC 220-240 volts
  • Frequency (Hz): 50
  • Appliances from the US (110 volts/60 Hz) need step-down transformers.

Plug shape: standard two-pinned type
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Do you have any other accommodation information that might help me?
When searching for a home in Budapest, it's useful to know that an "American kitchen" is an open kitchen, with no door separating it from the rest of the dwelling. An "equipped kitchen" includes at least a cooker (stove) and a fridge. Some even have a dishwasher.
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IMPORTANT NOTE:
Crown Relocations has made every effort to present accurate information. However, regulations, rates and other variables are subject to change and Crown Relocations cannot accept responsibility for the errors that might result. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact your local Crown representative.