Moving to Hungary from Ireland

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ireland to Hungary — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Ireland to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 46.4% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €67,000 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly HUF13,100,000 in Hungary to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Hungarian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Ireland to Hungary.

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → HUF13,100,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Hungary

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 38.4% less

Groceries

pay 27.0% less

Transportation

pay 39.6% less

Housing

pay 63.7% less

Childcare

pay 39.9% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 45.5% 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 33% less than cities in Ireland.

Ireland

Cork 69%
Carlow 66%
Athlone 65%
Drogheda 64%

Hungary

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Ireland to Hungary, and how the trend has changed.

Moved in 2023
60 ↓ 42% vs 2022

people moved from Ireland 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

How Ireland and Hungary stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IE
0.7
HU
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IE
2.8
HU
7.4

Ireland performs better than Hungary across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IE
$8,772
HU
$2,875
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IE
38.8
HU
34.6

Ireland 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

IE
13.0
HU
42.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IE
6.0t
HU
4.5t

Ireland 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

IE
32.3
HU
37.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IE
8.1%
HU
8.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IE
4.6%
HU
4.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IE
$131,592
HU
$25,907

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IE
83.0 yrs
HU
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IE
3.4
HU
3.1

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (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.

Dublin Rain: 29.8 in/yr (758 mm)
56° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dublin Budapest
Jan–Mar 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) 71°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Dublin Budapest
Jan 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C)
Feb 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C)
Mar 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C)
Apr 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C)
May 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C)
Jun 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C)
Jul 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C)
Aug 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C)
Oct 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C)
Dec 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C)

Data: Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service, Hungarian Meteorological Service Hungarian Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.

Ireland passport

Ireland passport holder visiting Hungary

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

Hungary passport holder visiting Ireland

Visa Free
Hungary passport holders can enter Ireland 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 Ireland?

Generally yes: Hungary runs about 46% cheaper than Ireland on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

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 €67,000 comparable salary, that's around HUF3,275,000 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 Ireland and Hungary.

Is Hungary safe for expats?

Ireland performs better than Hungary across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hungary is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Ireland.

How is healthcare in Hungary compared to Ireland?

Ireland 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 38.8 in Ireland. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).

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

The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.

What language do they speak in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.

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At a Glance

IE HU
Population 5,484,367 9,514,251
Currency Euro (€) Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Languages English, Irish Hungarian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +353 +36
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112