Room in a shared flat, studio or university residence: the options for a student in Budapest, 2026 rents and neighbourhoods to aim for.
As a student in Budapest, you have three ways to find housing: a room in a shared flat, a studio or small apartment just for yourself, or a place in a university residence (kollégium). The shared flat is the most common option among international students: according to data from the ingatlan.com portal relayed by Index in July 2026, a room rented for around 110,000 forints per month in Budapest, or about €300, against 200,000 forints (about €545) for a home of 40 m² or less.
The market remains expensive but stable. According to the KSH and ingatlan.com rent index, the average rent of an apartment in Budapest rose from 260,000 to 266,500 forints between early July and the publication of the university admission results, before falling back to 260,000 forints (about €705) in early August 2026. Over one year, the increase is around 5%, far from the 10 to 11% of previous years.
Residence places are limited and allocated first according to criteria set by each university: you will almost always need to plan a solution on the private market.
A room in a shared apartment costs around 110,000 forints per month at the median, a level unchanged over one year according to ingatlan.com. The gaps between districts are clear: the 2nd district, on the Buda side, is the most expensive for a room, the 4th, north of Pest, the cheapest. For two people in an apartment at the average rent of 260,000 forints, each share would be about 130,000 forints, excluding utilities.
Before signing, clarify who holds the lease, how the rent, the security deposit and the bills are split, and what happens if one of the flatmates leaves during the year.
A home of 40 m² or less rented for around 200,000 forints per month in July 2026. The 5th district, the historic centre, is the most expensive for this type of property, the 19th, on the south-eastern outskirts, the cheapest. On a student budget, the studio often remains reserved for those with a comfortable scholarship or family help.
The big universities run their own residences. At Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), for example, newly admitted students at the Budapest sites submitted their application for 2026-2027 between 24 July and 5 August 2026, through the Neptun system, with an answer announced after 19 August. If you are coming on an exchange or a scholarship, ask the international office of your host university as soon as you are admitted: rules and deadlines differ between programmes.
Listings often show the rent excluding utilities. The building's common charges (közös költség) and energy generally add 30,000 to 60,000 forints per month, or about €80 to €165. The security deposit generally equals two or three months' rent, paid at signing along with the first month.
The former Jewish quarter, with its nightlife and many renovated older buildings, is very popular with students and young foreigners. The supply of shared flats there is wide, but some streets are noisy in the evening: visit at different times.
Around Andrássy Avenue, Terézváros is well served by the metro. Short-term tourist rental has been completely banned there since 1 January 2026. According to an analysis by Alberlet.hu reported by Index in September 2026, rents there have since been rising by about 7% over one year, against nearly 4.7% for Budapest as a whole and 2.6% in neighbouring Erzsébetváros.
Ferencváros, largely renovated, is home to Corvinus University and the Great Market Hall, with rents more affordable than the centre. Across the Danube, Újbuda, around the Technical University (BME), is an affordable and well-served option for engineering students.
Residential, close to Margaret Island, this neighbourhood offers good value for money and quick access to the centre. It suits those who prefer to study in peace.
Preparing your start of term from France, without speaking Hungarian, is not simple when the best homes go within days. A Remoters home finder based in Budapest can search for you for a room or a studio according to your university and budget, visit properties, prepare your application and review the lease before signing. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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