Moving to Hungary from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Greece to Hungary? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Greece to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 12.8% cheaper than Greece overall. A €67,000 salary in Greece would need to be roughly HUF21,300,000 in Hungary to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Hungarian. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Budapest averages 60°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Greece and Hungary.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → HUF21,300,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Hungary

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 17.4% less

Groceries

pay 5.9% less

Transportation

pay 16.6% less

Housing

pay 13.8% less

Childcare

pay 1.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 21.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 364.95 HUF (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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 2% less than cities in Greece.

Greece

Xanthi 43%
Kavala 42%

Hungary

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Greece to Hungary.

Moved in 2023
60 ↓ 30% vs 2022

people moved from Greece to Hungary · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Hungary?

Top countries of origin for Hungary's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Hungary compared to Greece.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GR
0.8
HU
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
HU
7.4

Greece generally does better on safety, though Hungary leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
HU
$2,875
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GR
65.8
HU
34.6

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GR
23.0
HU
42.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
HU
4.5t

Greece generally does better on environment, though Hungary leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GR
44.7
HU
37.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.3%
HU
8.1%

Hungary generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
8.5%
HU
4.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$26,948
HU
$25,907

Hungary generally does better on employment & economy, though Greece leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GR
81.8 yrs
HU
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.2
HU
3.1

Hungary generally does better on family life, though Greece leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2018–2021), GSIS, Greece (2016), National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Budapest Rain: 21.0 in/yr (534 mm)
60° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Budapest
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 71°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Athens Budapest
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Hungarian Meteorological Service Hungarian Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting Hungary

Visa Free
Greece passport holders can enter Hungary without a visa.
Hungary passport

Hungary passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
Hungary passport holders can enter Greece without a visa.

Data: 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 Greece?

On average Hungary is about 13% less expensive than Greece, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Hungary?

Budget about HUF5,325,000 for 3 months in Hungary (based on a €67,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Hungary?

Connectivity is usually fine (Hungary: 37.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Hungary offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Hungary safe for expats?

Greece generally does better on safety, though Hungary leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Hungary is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Greece.

How is healthcare in Hungary compared to Greece?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Hungary, compared to 65.8 in Greece. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

What's the weather like in Hungary compared to Greece?

The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In Greece, the official language is Greek.

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At a Glance

GR HU
Population 10,413,962 9,514,251
Currency Euro (€) Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Languages Greek Hungarian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +36
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112