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Costs

Currency and exchange rates

The Hungarian unit of currency is the forint (Ft or HUF), which comprises 100 fillér.

The exchange rate is currently around 410Ft to the pound sterling and around 280Ft to the US dollar. The forint comes in notes of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 and 20,000 Ft, with 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Ft coins. Restrictions on importing or exporting banknotes now only apply to sums of over 350,000Ft.

There's no restriction on bringing in convertible currency, but there is a limit on sums more than the equivalent of 120,000Ft being taken out. If you enter the country with more, or with all your cash in small denominations, you should declare this on entry.

Average costs

Although foreigners no longer find Hungary a really cheap place to visit, it's still very good value on the whole. Depending on the exchange rate and where you go, most costs, accommodation aside, are around a half to two-thirds of what you'd pay at home, except in Budapest and the Lake Balaton resorts, which are more xpensive than other parts of Hungary.

Wherever you are, your biggest expenditure will be accommodation.

Eating out in a decent restaurant shouldn't set you back too much; a three-course meal with wine can generally be had for around £10-15/US$14-21. With flat fares (roughly 25p/35¢) in urban areas, and cheap inter-city trains and buses (averaging £3-4/US$4.20-5.60), transport will be the least of your expenses.

Museum admission charges vary from 25p to £1.50 (35¢-US$2.75)

Costs, money and banks

Most Hungarians complain of "paying Swedish taxes on an Ethiopian wage" and of the rising cost of living, which has badly hit much of the population - though the comforts and wealth of Budapest might give a different impression.