Moving to Hungary from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to Hungary? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 1.4% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly HUF24,200,000 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Hungary cheaper than Japan?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 63.3% more
Groceries
pay 24.5% less
Transportation
pay 0.2% less
Housing
pay 1.0% less
Childcare
pay 24.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.1% less
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?
¥12,000,000 → HUF24,200,000
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 12% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to Hungary.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Hungary compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Hungary across all safety metrics.
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
Hungary generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Hungary leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Hungary leads in top income tax 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though Hungary leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
Weather in Hungary vs Japan
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Budapest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 49°/37°F (9°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Budapest |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Hungarian Meteorological Service
Can you move from Japan to Hungary?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting Hungary
Visa Free
Hungary passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
Hungary and Japan are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Hungary?
Budget about HUF6,050,000 for 3 months in Hungary (based on a ¥12,000,000 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?
Japan performs better than Hungary across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hungary is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan.
How is healthcare in Hungary compared to Japan?
Hungary generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 34.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Hungary, compared to 26.5 in Japan. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Hungary compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Hungary?
The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
