Advise on prices in Hungary
Jul 10th, 2008, 04:55 AM
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Advise on prices in Hungary
Just a very brief comment on prices!
Before you mention a price on Hotel or transportation, please take into consideration our annual inflation of 7,5%. But this is the very general figure. Otherwise the prices here in Hungary, steadily go up 12-20% each year, electricity, natural gas, heating, museum tickets, Spas, transportation (for instance now a single trip public transportation ticket will cost you 270 Ft\€ 1.17 or US$ 1.83) food, etc. I had a week long trip to Spain and was absolutely shocked, founding out that the single ticket price in Madrid was only € 1.00 and the 10 Journey metrobus was only 6.15 which is almost 40% cheaper than over here. The average salary is 2,5 times bigger in Spain…..
Also another very important fact is the constant revaluation of the national currency to the Euro and the Dollar. It is now 230.00 to the Euro and 147.00 to the USD, that means the Euro is 10% less and the USD is 20% less of its value a year ago!!! When we add the inflation, the average overseas visitor pays at least 30% more for everything in just a year’s term.
As a private guide I can tell you, that we feel the incoming figures very strongly. The number of overseas visitors is not simply running low, it is tumbling like a rock down the hill. Alas!
So before advising on the price, I would kindly recommend you to specify the year of your trip. It is not that I am pretentious, no it is just the sad reality of the world’s economy….
Happy travels to All!
Before you mention a price on Hotel or transportation, please take into consideration our annual inflation of 7,5%. But this is the very general figure. Otherwise the prices here in Hungary, steadily go up 12-20% each year, electricity, natural gas, heating, museum tickets, Spas, transportation (for instance now a single trip public transportation ticket will cost you 270 Ft\€ 1.17 or US$ 1.83) food, etc. I had a week long trip to Spain and was absolutely shocked, founding out that the single ticket price in Madrid was only € 1.00 and the 10 Journey metrobus was only 6.15 which is almost 40% cheaper than over here. The average salary is 2,5 times bigger in Spain…..
Also another very important fact is the constant revaluation of the national currency to the Euro and the Dollar. It is now 230.00 to the Euro and 147.00 to the USD, that means the Euro is 10% less and the USD is 20% less of its value a year ago!!! When we add the inflation, the average overseas visitor pays at least 30% more for everything in just a year’s term.
As a private guide I can tell you, that we feel the incoming figures very strongly. The number of overseas visitors is not simply running low, it is tumbling like a rock down the hill. Alas!
So before advising on the price, I would kindly recommend you to specify the year of your trip. It is not that I am pretentious, no it is just the sad reality of the world’s economy….
Happy travels to All!
Jul 10th, 2008, 07:11 PM
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Thank you for the information. We are planning 3 days in Budapest. We have heard from an acquaintance that times are getting very hard in Hungary. I am sorry to hear that.
Are food prices going up a lot?
Are food prices going up a lot?
Jul 10th, 2008, 07:19 PM
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Last year, train tickets were still far far less than in Germany, however considerably more than in CZ or SK.
Food at the german supermarkets (Plus) was about the same as in Germany and mostly imported from there. (Why do they have to import Milk from Bavaria...?)
Wasn't cheap but still affordable. But I do get better deals at home.
Food at the german supermarkets (Plus) was about the same as in Germany and mostly imported from there. (Why do they have to import Milk from Bavaria...?)
Wasn't cheap but still affordable. But I do get better deals at home.
Jul 11th, 2008, 04:07 AM
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Hi,
Unfortunately food prices went up at least 20 % since last year, not the salaries alas.
Yes, we all very, very well informed on the Euro thing. During my guiding I am doing side trips to Slovakia which is officially going to the Euro from January 1st, 2009. While my clients do some shopping over there I am usually talking to the shop assistants. It’s easy; everybody speaks Hungarian along the border with Hungary. They all have expressed greatest shock and confusion of the upcoming Euro. Everybody has a solid feeling (better say confidence) that the Euro will bring horror prices. It happened all over Europe despite the governments confirms of price control. The “best” example is Montenegro, which is not in the official Euro zone, but their national currency is the Euro. We are very “lucky” that for the time being, due to very bad economy we are facing the Euro perspective somewhere around 2013! I understand my British friend’s feelings, when they express their “not even thinking of joining the Euro zone”!
To logos999:
You won’t believe it, but the Bavarian or Slovakian milk or butter (in the German supermarket LIDL) is significantly cheaper than our home farmer’s. Same applies to almost all vegetables and fruits….. No comments. This is all due to heavy government (almost non existent here) and EU subsidies. But it’s a long political and economical story, so we better not get involved in discussing it.
Anyway, this site is about traveling!
Unfortunately food prices went up at least 20 % since last year, not the salaries alas.
Yes, we all very, very well informed on the Euro thing. During my guiding I am doing side trips to Slovakia which is officially going to the Euro from January 1st, 2009. While my clients do some shopping over there I am usually talking to the shop assistants. It’s easy; everybody speaks Hungarian along the border with Hungary. They all have expressed greatest shock and confusion of the upcoming Euro. Everybody has a solid feeling (better say confidence) that the Euro will bring horror prices. It happened all over Europe despite the governments confirms of price control. The “best” example is Montenegro, which is not in the official Euro zone, but their national currency is the Euro. We are very “lucky” that for the time being, due to very bad economy we are facing the Euro perspective somewhere around 2013! I understand my British friend’s feelings, when they express their “not even thinking of joining the Euro zone”!
To logos999:
You won’t believe it, but the Bavarian or Slovakian milk or butter (in the German supermarket LIDL) is significantly cheaper than our home farmer’s. Same applies to almost all vegetables and fruits….. No comments. This is all due to heavy government (almost non existent here) and EU subsidies. But it’s a long political and economical story, so we better not get involved in discussing it.
Anyway, this site is about traveling!
