Where would you rather live? City life vs. small-town living in Hungary

• Life in the city – Budapest and beyond
• Life in the countryside: small towns and villages in Hungary
• Connect with your roots in your ancestors’ hometown
• Hungary as your European base
• Family tree research with Helpers
• FAQ

Life in the city – Budapest and beyond

Budapest has everything you would expect from a European capital city: excellent public transport, all kinds of restaurants, a variety of cultural programs, bustling night life, international communities and plenty of career opportunities. Budapest is not your only option in Hungary, however, if you want all this.

Hungary has various big cities other than Budapest, although they are an order of magnitude smaller: while Budapest has roughly 1.7 million residents (and an agglomeration of 3.5 million people), the next biggest city, Debrecen, has only around a population of 200,000, followed by Szeged, Pécs, Győr, and Sopron. Of course, they all still offer opportunities almost as varied as the capital city, albeit with a calmer atmosphere.

Living in one of the bigger Hungarian cities, you can take advantage of:

• a great variety of services, including shops and facilities for entertainment
• good public transportation
• more international and English-speaking communities
• plenty of cultural programs and events

At the same time, you should expect some possible downsides of city life:

• higher housing costs, especially in more popular areas
• more traffic, noise, and crowds
• less space compared with smaller towns and villages

If you thrive in an environment where everything is within easy reach, but you do not necessarily want to live somewhere as fast-paced as Budapest, one of Hungary’s regional centers can offer you a great middle ground between city life and the countryside.

Life in the countryside: small towns and villages in Hungary

At the same time, a smaller town or a village can offer more space, quieter surroundings, and a slower pace. Depending on the region, housing may also be more affordable, making a house with a yard a more realistic option than if you were living in a city.

In a small town, nature is often much closer too. Much of Hungary is agricultural land, which includes not only fields of corn or wheat or sunflowers, but also orchards, vineyards, and forests. Additionally, well-maintained hiking trails are crisscrossing the entire countryside, not only the more popular places like the surroundings of Lake Balaton or the wine regions.

The advantages:

• Quieter lifestyle, slower pace
• More space
• Lower housing costs
• Easy access to nature
• Stronger sense of local community
• Seeing a more traditional side of Hungary

The possible downsides:

• Public transportation is often less developed
• You might need a car to get around
• Fewer options for shopping, dining out, or entertainment
• English might be less widely spoken

Concerning this last point: you may also take it as an opportunity: an incentive to learn Hungarian, which will let you build closer ties with your local community.

Connect with your roots in your ancestors’ hometown

From the other side of the world, it might not be easy to decide how to best discover Hungary. The vital records of your ancestors might provide a good starting point for this. Look up these places on the map! Then the place name on an old document will become somewhere you can actually visit. A birth or marriage certificate might lead you to the town where your great-grandfather was born, the village where your grandmother grew up or the church where generations of your family were baptized.

When researching Hungarian citizenship by descent, applicants often discover places they had never heard of before. Your Hungarian ancestry might be able to tell you more than just where you came from: it can introduce you to a place that might become an integral part of your life. While some people decide to keep their connection to Hungary alive where they live, you can start spending more and more time in Hungary, buy property to make your stays more comfortable, and eventually learn to call Hungary your home.

There is no one correct way to experience Hungary. Maybe you love the energy of Budapest. Perhaps Szeged or Sopron feels more like your pace. Or maybe you’d happily trade city life for a garden in a small town. In Hungary, city life and small-town living are both within reach.

Hungary as your European base

Hungary is not big, only slightly more than 500 km from east to west (similar to a drive between New York City and Washington, D.C.). As a result, no matter where you decide to settle down, you will still be able to take advantage of Hungary’s central location within Europe, not only with close connections to the neighboring countries, but also fast access to major cities around the continent. If you want to make a quick weekend trip, you can go exploring a Hungarian city, relax near Lake Balaton, or cross the border for a different European experience.

Family tree research with Helpers

How well do you know your family history? Well enough to trace the journey of your ancestors, determine of you are eligible for Hungarian citizenship, and apply on your own? If not, our team is here to help!

The citizenship team at Helpers Hungary has ample experience with every aspect of the Hungarian citizenship application. Whether you need just an initial consultation to get started, or want help with the entire application process, we are here to support you. We can also help you dig up information on your family, which is essential for a successful application.

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