Moving to Hungary from Russia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Russia to Hungary, you would find that Hungary is 38.4% more expensive than Russia overall. A RUB5,776,862 salary in Russia would need to be roughly HUF24,900,250 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 48°F in Moscow, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RUB5,776,862 HUF24,900,250

To maintain the same standard of living in Hungary

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 50.8% more

Groceries

pay 33.5% more

Transportation

pay 80.8% more

Housing

pay 60.9% more

Childcare

pay 1.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 53.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RUB = 4.04 HUF (July 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
2,438 ↑ 28% vs 2022

people moved from Russia 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 Russia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RU
6.8
HU
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RU
10.6
HU
7.4

Hungary performs significantly better than Russia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RU
$3,204
HU
$2,875
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RU
38.3
HU
33.0

Russia 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

RU
39.0
HU
42.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RU
14.0t
HU
4.5t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RU
24.8
HU
35.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RU
4.1%
HU
8.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RU
3.3%
HU
4.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RU
$39,800
HU
$40,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RU
72.4 yrs
HU
77.2 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RU
6.4
HU
4.6

Hungary generally does better on family life, though Russia leads in literacy rate.

Data: Federal Tax Service of Russia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Moscow Rain: 27.2 in/yr (691 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Moscow Budapest
Jan–Mar 27°/15°F (-3°/-10°C) 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 71°/52°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 68°/52°F (20°/11°C) 78°/59°F (26°/15°C)
Oct–Dec 36°/26°F (2°/-3°C) 49°/37°F (9°/3°C)
View all months
Month Moscow Budapest
Jan 21°/10°F (-6.3°/-12.3°C) 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C)
Feb 24°/12°F (-4.2°/-11.1°C) 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C)
Mar 35°/22°F (1.5°/-5.6°C) 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C)
Apr 51°/35°F (10.4°/1.7°C) 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C)
May 65°/46°F (18.4°/7.6°C) 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C)
Jun 71°/53°F (21.7°/11.5°C) 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C)
Jul 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.5°C) 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C)
Aug 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C)
Sep 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.1°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.2°/2.1°C) 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C)
Nov 34°/26°F (1.1°/-3.3°C) 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C)
Dec 26°/17°F (-3.5°/-8.6°C) 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C)

Data: Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Hungarian Meteorological Service Hungarian Meteorological Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Russia 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.

Russia passport

Russia passport holder visiting Hungary

Visa Required
Russia passport holders need a visa to enter Hungary.
Hungary passport

Hungary passport holder visiting Russia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Hungary passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Russia.

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 Russia?

On average Hungary is around 7% pricier than Russia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Hungary?

Budget about HUF6,225,062 for 3 months in Hungary (based on a RUB5,776,862 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: 35.5 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?

Hungary performs significantly better than Russia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hungary is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Russia.

How is healthcare in Hungary compared to Russia?

Russia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 33.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Hungary, compared to 38.3 in Russia. Hungary scores 79 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Russia: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Budapest is 60°F, compared to 48°F in Moscow. Budapest receives around 21.0 in of rainfall per year, while Moscow gets 27.2 in.

What language do they speak in Hungary?

The official language in Hungary is Hungarian. In Russia, the official language is Russian.

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At a Glance

RU HU
Population 142,021,981 9,699,577
Currency Russian Ruble (RUB) Hungarian Forint (HUF)
Languages Russian Hungarian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +7 +36
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 112 112