Moving to Hungary from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Hungary — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 55.3% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly HUF37,500,000 in Hungary to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Hungarian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Hungary cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.8 times more
Groceries
pay 33.1% more
Transportation
pay 54.1% more
Housing
pay 81.4% more
Childcare
pay 46.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.3% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Hungary?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → HUF37,500,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Hungary
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Hungary cost about 40% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Hungary, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from China to Hungary · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Hungary stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Hungary leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hungary performs significantly better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Hungary leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Hungary generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
China generally does better on family life, though Hungary leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Hungary vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Budapest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 49°/37°F (9°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Budapest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Hungarian Meteorological Service
Can you move from China to Hungary?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Hungary. To live, work, or study long-term in Hungary, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Hungary's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Hungary
Visa Required
Hungary passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Hungary than China?
Day-to-day costs in Hungary run about 55% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Hungary?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around HUF9,375,000 in Hungary for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Hungary?
With 37.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Hungary can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and Hungary.
Is Hungary safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Hungary leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Hungary is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Hungary compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 34.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Hungary, compared to 31.1 in China. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Hungary compared to China?
The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Hungary?
The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In China, the official language is Chinese.
