Before heading to Budapest, it's best to understand the Hungarian forint and prepare your currency exchange: here is our practical advice to avoid the pitfalls and travel with peace of mind.
Hungary has kept its own currency: the forint
Unlike many of its neighbours, Hungary is a member of the European Union but has not adopted the euro. The official currency remains the Hungarian forint, whose international code is HUF and local symbol Ft. You'll see it displayed everywhere: on menus, metro tickets and the entrances to thermal baths such as Széchenyi or Gellért.
Some hotels, tourist restaurants and city-centre shops accept euros, but almost always at an unfavourable rate and with change given in forints. For your everyday purchases — a coffee near the Chain Bridge, a slice of lángos at the covered market or a drink in a ruin bar in the Jewish quarter — the forint remains king.
Why so many zeros? Getting to grips with big numbers
The traveller's first surprise is the scale of the amounts. One euro buys several hundred forints, so prices come with lots of zeros and you quickly become a "millionaire" in local currency. A simple restaurant bill can run to several tens of thousands of forints.
The banknotes in circulation range from the most modest to the most imposing: 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 Ft, complemented by coins from 5 to 200 Ft. A useful habit: mentally drop the zeros and divide to estimate the value in euros. Be wary of the large 20,000 Ft notes, which are hard to use for small purchases (bus, kiosk, public toilets). Ask to have them broken down and always keep some small change.
Beware of currency exchange scams on the spot
Budapest long had a bad reputation for its tourist exchange offices, and caution is still in order. Here are the most common pitfalls:
- The misleading sign: the very attractive rate displayed in the window often corresponds to the buying rate for large amounts, never the one you'll actually be given.
- Dubious "no commission" claims: the absence of a posted commission sometimes hides a degraded rate that works out far more expensive.
- Street exchange: flatly refuse anyone offering to change money in the street. It's illegal and it's the classic counterfeit-note or sleight-of-hand scam.
- Rigged ATMs: some independent machines along the main tourist streets charge high fees and offer immediate conversion into euros at a disadvantageous rate.
Golden rule at ATMs as well as in shops: always refuse dynamic currency conversion (DCC). When the machine offers to let you pay or withdraw "in euros", always choose the amount in forints; that way you let your bank apply its own rate rather than an inflated margin added on the spot.
Card, cash and tipping: Hungarian customs
Budapest is a very modern city where card payment is accepted almost everywhere, including for small amounts. Still, keep some cash for markets, certain baths, small shops, transport and more traditional places.
As for tipping, the custom is often around 10% in restaurants and cafés. A local particularity: when paying, you often tell the waiter the total amount you wish to pay, rather than leaving coins on the table. Also check your bill, as a "service charge" is sometimes already included.
Finally, if you're travelling with a large sum, remember the European customs rule: above €10,000 in cash (or the equivalent in foreign currency) when entering or leaving the European Union, a customs declaration is mandatory.
The stress-free solution: prepare your currency exchange before you leave
The simplest way to avoid all these pitfalls is to arrive in Budapest with your forints already in hand, at a clear rate. At Paris Change, an exchange office approved by the ACPR (Banque de France), you can exchange your euros without commission among more than 53 currencies, including the Hungarian forint.
You can book your amount online and then come and collect it at our single shop, at 4 Boulevard Saint-Michel, 75005 Paris, in the heart of the Latin Quarter (Saint-Michel metro line 4, RER B and C). We are open 7 days a week — Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm — which is rare in Paris and very handy before a last-minute departure. Discover our available currencies to prepare for your next trip.
Frequently asked questions
Can you pay in euros in Budapest?
Occasionally, in certain hotels and tourist shops, yes. But the rate applied is generally poor and change is given in forints. For your everyday spending, it's better to have forints.
Is it better to change your euros in Paris or in Budapest?
Changing before departure, at an approved, commission-free office, avoids tourist offices with opaque rates and street scams. You set off with a controlled budget right from the airport.
Should you plan to bring a lot of cash?
Cards work almost everywhere in Budapest. Even so, plan to have some cash for markets, transport, tips and small traditional shops.
Prepare for your stay with complete peace of mind: book your forints online and collect them at Paris Change, 4 Boulevard Saint-Michel, before catching your flight to Budapest.
