Cost of Living in Hungary for International Students, in PKR

Going by the universities' own figures, a single student in Budapest spends about €500 to €1,100 a month (about Rs 1.55 to 3.4 lakh), depending mostly on whether they live in a dormitory or rent a flat. Outside the capital it costs less: the University of Pécs says a student needs at least 250,000 forints (HUF) a month (about Rs 2.16 lakh), and the University of Debrecen's South Asia office puts the average at about US$800 a month (about Rs 2.2 lakh). That is before tuition. The Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship pays bachelor's and master's students HUF 43,700 a month (about Rs 37.8 thousand), plus free tuition, a free dormitory place or HUF 40,000 a month towards rent, and health cover.

This guide turns those figures into rupees so a Pakistani family can see what a month really costs, then sets the Stipendium Hungaricum stipend against them to show what is left or short. We read every figure on 1 November 2026 on Hungarian university, Stipendium Hungaricum, Hungarian government and Embassy of Hungary pages. Several university pages don't show when their prices were set, and we say so where that is the case. The official pages are always the final word.

The exchange rate we used

Every rupee figure here uses 1 Hungarian forint (HUF) = Rs 0.86, the mid-market rate shown by Wise on 1 November 2026 (Rs 0.8643), with €1 = Rs 311 (Wise, Rs 310.7) and US$1 = Rs 277 (Wise, Rs 276.7) for figures given in euros or dollars. Banks and exchange companies in Pakistan sell forints and euros at a higher rate than mid-market, and the rate moves every day. Our Study in Hungary guide rounds the forint to about Rs 1; this page uses today's rate. Recheck before you transfer money, or use our cost calculator.

What a month costs in Budapest

Corvinus University of Budapest gives a full monthly range on its fees and payments page. The page cites a 2024 Economist Intelligence Unit ranking and gives no other date for the figures.

The yearly figures are our own sums. Two more Budapest universities give prices in forints:

• Pázmány Péter Catholic University (Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics), on a cost of living page marked "Updated: 2026.09.29", gives a shared dormitory bedroom at HUF 40,000 a month (Rs 34.6 thousand), a shared flat at HUF 150,000 (Rs 1.3 lakh), a private flat at HUF 200,000 (Rs 1.73 lakh), and utilities at about HUF 30,000 a month (Rs 25.9 thousand). A mobile phone plan with internet is HUF 4,000 to 9,000 a month (Rs 3.5 to 7.8 thousand), a kilo of chicken HUF 1,800 (Rs 1.6 thousand), and 10 eggs HUF 800 (Rs 690). Its euro conversions use an April 2024 rate, so some prices may be older than the update date.
• ELTE (Eötvös Loránd University), on its living costs page (last changed in February 2026), gives a rented apartment at HUF 220,000 to 250,000 a month (Rs 1.9 to 2.16 lakh) and the student monthly Budapest transport pass at HUF 3,450 (Rs 3 thousand).

For a family, the big choice is the dormitory. A dorm bed costs a fraction of a flat, but places are limited, so ask the university about dorm places as soon as you have an offer.

What a month costs in Debrecen and Pécs

Many Pakistani students study outside Budapest, especially in Debrecen, Pécs and Szeged.

Debrecen. The University of Debrecen's South Asia Regional Office, in an undated budgeting guide for international students, says the average student budget is about US$800 a month (Rs 2.2 lakh), not counting tuition, travel home or unexpected costs. It gives an example budget for a student renting privately:

The same page gives a university canteen meal at HUF 2,400 (Rs 2.1 thousand) and a monthly student transport pass at HUF 4,800 (Rs 4.1 thousand). A university dormitory costs far less than private rent: the university's dormitories page (last updated April 2025) gives HUF 40,000 a month (Rs 34.6 thousand) for foreign students on scholarships, and says fees for other students are set each year.

Pécs. The University of Pécs' cost of living page, which shows no date for its prices, says a student needs at least HUF 250,000 a month (Rs 2.16 lakh, or about Rs 25.9 lakh a year) for rent, food and an occasional evening out. It lists a dormitory place at HUF 72,600 to 94,100 a month (Rs 63 to 81 thousand), a shared flat at HUF 80,000 to 100,000 (Rs 69 to 86 thousand), a canteen meal at HUF 2,500 to 3,500 (Rs 2.2 to 3 thousand) and a monthly student bus pass at HUF 4,100 (Rs 3.5 thousand).

Tuition for self-funded students

Tuition comes on top for students without Stipendium Hungaricum. Corvinus' fees page for the 2027 admission cycle charges students from outside the European Economic Area:

Corvinus also lists a €100 application fee and a €295 administration fee (together about Rs 1.2 lakh), and says self-funded students pay the first semester or year in advance. Fees differ a lot between universities and subjects, and medicine costs far more; our Study in Hungary guide gives typical ranges. Check the exact fee on your university's own page.

What the embassy asks you to show

Hungary's embassy in Islamabad doesn't publish a fixed amount a student must show. Its residence permit for study page asks for the sponsor's bank statement for the last six months, counted from the interview date, and proof of the sponsor's income. It says a land registration sheet cannot be accepted as a liquid fund. It also asks for proof of accommodation for the whole stay, insurance, a medical examination certificate, a flight booking and the acceptance letter, and says only original documents are accepted. Appointments are booked through the VFS Global website. The embassy's long-stay permit page says applications are accepted only within 90 days before the planned date of entry.

For a family, the practical point is that the bank statement should show enough for the costs above, plus tuition for a self-funded student, held in the account for six months. Our sponsor letter sample shows how a parent can set out their support. This is a summary of the embassy's pages, not immigration advice; the embassy is the final word.

How far the Stipendium Hungaricum stipend goes

The Stipendium Hungaricum programme page lists free tuition, the monthly stipend paid for 12 months a year, a free dormitory place or a HUF 40,000 monthly contribution to accommodation costs, and health care with supplementary insurance of up to HUF 65,000 a year (the Islamabad embassy's education page gives HUF 100,000). The programme itself says the stipend is only a contribution to living costs. Because housing is covered, we set the stipend against the costs other than rent:

"Left" and "short" are what remain after the universities' estimates; they are not a promise, and spending depends on the student. A careful student in a dorm who eats in the canteen will sit at the better end of these ranges. Read the table with these points in mind:

• The bachelor's and master's stipend is small. At about Rs 37.8 thousand a month, it doesn't cover food and daily costs on either university's figures, so most families should plan to send money every month, roughly Rs 25 to 75 thousand on these estimates. Our Stipendium Hungaricum 2027 guide and the scholarship page have the eligibility rules and HEC steps.
• The dorm matters most. If the university has no free dorm place, the student gets HUF 40,000 a month instead. In Debrecen that matches the scholarship dorm price, but in Budapest a shared flat at HUF 150,000 plus about HUF 30,000 of utilities (Pázmány's figures) would leave about HUF 140,000 a month (Rs 1.21 lakh) for the family to cover.
• What the scholarship doesn't pay for. The University of Debrecen's Stipendium Hungaricum FAQ says it doesn't cover travel, books and study materials, or medicines bought at a pharmacy. Budget for the flight and the first month's shopping.
• When to apply. HEC's Stipendium Hungaricum page still showed the 2026-27 call on 1 November 2026, with a deadline of 15 January 2026. Watch HEC for the 2027-28 call, and check our deadlines calendar.

Can part-time work fill the gap?

Families should not count on it. Hungary's immigration authority says in its factsheet for higher education institutions, last edited on 3 March 2026, that a student with a residence permit for study can work up to 30 hours a week during term, and full-time for up to 90 days a year outside term. Jobs for students who don't speak Hungarian are limited, and study comes first. This is a summary of the official page, not advice; the immigration authority is the final word. Plan a budget that works on the stipend and family money alone.

Your next step

Pick two or three universities, open each one's fees and accommodation pages, and put their figures and today's exchange rate into our cost calculator, so the whole family sees the yearly total in rupees. If you plan to apply for Stipendium Hungaricum, start your documents now with our document checklist. The programme says applying for Stipendium Hungaricum is free, and our article on the Stipendium Hungaricum application fee explains the few costs you do meet along the way. Never pay an agent who promises a "guaranteed" scholarship or admission; our guide to avoiding scholarship scams explains the warning signs. Check each figure on the official page before you count on it. This page is general information, not financial advice.