According to the latest KSH (Hungarian Central Statistical Office)–ingatlan.com Rent Index, rental prices across Hungary fell again in October 2025. The national index showed a 0.7 per cent decline, while Budapest rents dropped by 1 per cent compared to the previous month. Over the past two months, rents nationwide have decreased by nearly 2 per cent, a scale of decline not seen since November–December 2020, during the height of the pandemic.
Experts note that the capital’s rental market may soon shift further following a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the ban on Airbnb rentals in Budapest’s 6th District. The decision, taking effect in 2026, is expected to increase the supply of long-term rental properties in the area and potentially slow down future rent growth.
Detailed data show that rents decreased across almost all regions. The sharpest declines were observed in Western Transdanubia, Northern Great Plain, and Southern Great Plain, with drops ranging between 1 per cent and 1.6 per cent. Smaller declines were recorded in Central and Southern Transdanubia and Pest County (0.5–0.7 per cent). Only Northern Hungary saw a marginal 0.1 per cent uptick, effectively indicating stagnation.
In early November, the median rent for apartments in Budapest stood at 260,000 forints. The 13th District, one of the largest rental markets, recorded a median of 270,000 forints, matching the level in the 11th District. In contrast, the 2nd District remains among the most expensive, with a median rent of 360,000 forints. The 9th and 8th Districts showed medians of 265,000 and 250,000 forints, respectively, while the 6th District—affected by the Airbnb ruling—stood at 280,000 forints, 20,000 less than in July and identical to last year’s figure.
Among Hungary’s county seats, Debrecen leads with a median rent of 240,000 forints, followed by Győr and Székesfehérvár at 200,000 forints each. Veszprém, Pécs, and Nyíregyháza each reported a median of 180,000 forints. The most affordable cities include Békéscsaba and Szekszárd, where rents average around 100,000 forints.
Balogh László, lead economic analyst at ingatlan.com, attributes the downward trend partly to the government’s Otthon Start homeownership programme, which allows tenants to purchase their first homes at favourable rates. This shift reduces rental demand while expanding available supply, creating stronger competition among landlords. Currently, around 15,000 residential rental listings are available across Budapest and major cities—5 per cent more than a year ago.
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