Moving to Hungary
Located in central Europe, this small country has a long history tracing back to 897, which makes it one of the oldest countries in Europe.
The ancestors of the Hungarians were the Magyar tribes, which is why many today refer to themselves and their language as Magyar. Its capital city, Budapest, is one of the largest cities in the European Union and a leading global power. In fact, the city was once three cities: Buda, Pest and Óbuda. Hungary has also contributed much to the world, with Laszlo Biro inventing the ball point to Ernő Rubik’s Rubik’s Cube.
Moving to Hungary will help you experience life with its 10 million people, thermal hot springs and great food and drink, like the world-famous Goulash, and wine. You can enjoy its beautiful landscapes and Lake Balaton, a popular holiday destination.
Finding accommodation
The price of accommodation is quite affordable in Hungary. Here you can easily get a 2 or 3 bed flat in a traditional building. There are several ways you can find accommodation. One way is through networking using social media as there are several websites dedicated to finding flatmates and flat-shares. There are also rental agencies, which can speed up the process, but can also be quite pricey. So if you have the time, it is financially worth it to find a private listing.
Education
In Hungary, all children from ages 3 to 16 are required to go to school. They start with preschool and kindergarten and move onto primary education for 8 years, finishing with secondary school. Secondary school is divided into three kinds: grammar school, vocational school and technical school.
Hungary makes it easy for foreigners to enrol in their educational system with simple admission procedures, scholarships and affordable tuition, especially for those from the European Union and Schengen area.
International schools follow either the UK, US or German curriculum. Most are located in Budapest.
Culture
Hungarians are proud of their food and meal times; dining is both an event and tradition for the family. Many will dress well to go out to eat and restaurants will have live music playing during your meal. In addition to food, Hungary is also gaining a good reputation when it comes to wine. In fact, Hungary is home to Europe’s first official wine region. Cafe culture is a lovely part of Hungarian socialising, especially in cosmopolitan cities such as Budapest.
Good to know
Hungary is a very affordable country compared to many others. However, the wages are also lower, unless you work for a multinational company.
While Hungary is part of the European Union, they don’t use Euros as their currency. Instead, it is the Hungarian forint. Euros are only accepted in tourist areas and in certain hotels.
Hungarian is quite different from other European languages, with 44 letters in the alphabet. It can be tricky to start learning but is most definitely worth it to fit in better with the local culture
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