Where Do Ex-Pats Live in Hungary?

You finally settled on Hungary to be your new home for a few months living, and you now want to find yourself the perfect mid-term rental. But where should you go? Many people want to be somewhat close to the ex-pat community of a given country since they have similar experiences and are easier to connect with than locals - at least in the beginning. The language barrier is also not as steep as it might be with native Hungarians. But where do ex-pats live in Hungary? Read on, and you’ll find out.

Unsurprisingly, most ex-pats looking for a mid-term rental in Hungary end up living in Budapest. And there are good reasons for that. Not only does the city offer many coworking opportunities and networking events for digital nomads and remote workers, but it’s also home to a large ex-pat community. Facebook groups like Budapest Expats, which has over fourteen thousand members, can help you with anything you need, from finding accommodation to meeting your future best friends.

What can you do in Budapest? Well, what can’t you do? Budapest offers tons to do beyond networking and work opportunities. Enjoy its vibrant ruin bar scene where thousands of people get together every night, see the many impressive sights looming over the Danube River, or discover the hidden nooks and crannies of the Jewish Quarter. Budapest has tons to do and even more to see, making it popular with ex-pats from all over the world.

This is also why you will hear a lot of English spoken when you walk down the street. As the country’s capital, the city has become a hotbed of start-ups and international companies, all bringing in people from various backgrounds, making the town multicultural in the process. Few places in Hungary will be as lively and accepting of people from multiple backgrounds as Budapest, so it’s a perfect choice for anyone.

Debrecen is another excellent place to go as an ex-pat, especially if you’re bringing your family with you family. Since the city attracts many students from all over the world, most services and even some schools are bilingual.

There are also working and networking opportunities like the events organised by Debrecen Business Expat Club, where you can learn about local business openings and meet like-minded people. Ask in the Facebook group Expats & Locals in Debrecen. Here you can get advice on just about anything from over five hundred people who have first-hand experience with the city.

While not the largest city in Hungary, Pécs has built a good reputation for being a cultural treasure trove of sights like the Széchenyi square with the Pasha Gazi Kassim Mosque, the Pécs Cathedral or the Zsolnay Mausoleum. You can also enjoy countless museums as well as a rich café and restaurant scene.

And when it comes to the community, you can meet most of them before you even set foot in Hungary in the Facebook group Pécs EXPATS 😊, a group with over eight hundred members. If you want an urban experience of Hungary while being somewhere a bit calmer, Pécs is for you.