Living in Hungary as a French National: Cities, Settling-In Formalities, Housing and Schooling

For a French national, the legal framework is simple: free movement within the European Union opens access to residence and work without authorisation, and the settling-in formalities follow a precise timetable. Hungary remains outside the euro area: its currency is the forint (HUF), whose exchange rate is tracked in the “Economic indicators” block of this page.

• Advantages: access to work without a permit, a capital of more than 1.6 million inhabitants, a French school in Budapest, an inexpensive residence registration and a compulsory health insurance open to employees and self-employed people.
• Points of caution: Hungarian is the language of administrative procedures; the address card is required for most procedures; some nightlife venues in Budapest run scams (France Diplomatie, 15 September 2026); access to public care requires insured status, as the page on the Hungarian healthcare system explains.

The Hungary country page details health insurance by status; the pages on working in Hungary and retiring in Hungary complete this guide.

The Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) ranks cities by population on 1 January 2026: Budapest has 1,675,777 inhabitants, Debrecen 202,331, Szeged 157,596, Miskolc 139,246, Pécs 137,976 and Győr 128,225. Budapest is home to the French embassy (Kossuth Lajos tér 13-15) and the French school; it is the main job market and service hub for French nationals. The other cities are chosen according to work, distance from hospitals and the children’s school.

• Budapest: France Diplomatie reports pickpocketing on public transport, at tourist sites, in nightlife areas and at thermal baths, as well as inflated bills and fraudulent card charges in some nightlife venues. It advises not leaving your drink unattended and avoiding venues recommended by taxi drivers.
• Debrecen, Szeged, Pécs, Győr: large university and regional cities; municipal populations can be found in the KSH publications.
• Lake Balaton: a holiday region, also cited by France Diplomatie among the areas where tick-borne encephalitis is reported; see the page on the Hungarian healthcare system.

The checklist for the first 90 days helps you put the formalities in order once the city is chosen.

The monthly minimum wage is 322,800 HUF gross since 1 January 2026, and the guaranteed minimum is 373,200 HUF for jobs that require at least secondary education, according to Government Decree 426/2025 (XII. 23.). Eurostat converts the minimum wage into EUR 906 a month in the second half of 2026, against EUR 825 in Romania and EUR 1,867 in France. For July 2026, the KSH puts average earnings at 745,500 HUF gross (+7.5% over a year) and 523,300 HUF net a month; median earnings reach 618,200 HUF gross.

• Housing: rents and property prices vary strongly from one city to another; they can be found in the publications of the KSH and the Hungarian National Bank. The lease serves as proof of address for the residence registration (OIF).
• Health budget: the guide to budgeting for health abroad offers a method for including contributions, the flat-rate health fee and costs that are not covered.

Salary levels by status, taxes and contributions are in the page on working in Hungary.

A French national enters Hungary with a passport or a national identity card. France Diplomatie specifies that French identity cards issued between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2013 remain valid for five years after their expiry date, but recommends a valid document for travel to a non-Schengen country. For a stay of more than three months, the registration application is filed with the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policy (OIF) by the 93rd day of presence at the latest (France Diplomatie, 15 September 2026).

• Registration certificate: it is requested for employment, self-employment, studies or on proof of sufficient resources, with health insurance cover or the means to pay for care. The documents include the identity document, the employment contract or the authorisation to carry out an activity, the enrolment certificate for a student, proof of resources, proof of insurance and proof of housing (lease, title deed or accommodation certificate). The stamp duty is 1,000 HUF; the document is valid with no time limit as long as the travel document is valid (OIF).
• Address card (lakcímkártya): it is issued by the administration and sent by post; keep it with the certificate, because it is required for most local procedures.
• TAJ number: the social security number links the employee or self-employed person to the health system; see the page on healthcare reimbursement in Hungary.
• Consular register: the French embassy in Budapest strongly recommends registering on the register of French nationals living abroad for a stay of more than six months.

In Hungary, access to the public system goes through insured status: an employee is declared by their employer and contributes 18.5% of their gross salary, a self-employed person contributes directly, a retiree holding the S1 form is covered without any new local contribution, and a person with no other status pays a flat-rate fee of 12,300 HUF a month. For a temporary stay, the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card, CEAM in French; called the EU-Kártya in Hungary) is requested from your fund before departure.

Expavy helps you compare the supplementary cover that is useful during the affiliation period, with the page on expat health insurance.

France Diplomatie classes Hungary under normal vigilance across the whole territory (updated 15 September 2026) and notes generally low crime. It recommends not carrying large sums in cash, since card payments are widespread, keeping your papers in a safe place with copies, spreading your valuables and being wary on night train journeys. It also advises checking exchange rates and ATM fees.

• Emergencies: 112 is the European emergency number. The French embassy in Budapest can be reached on +36 1 374 11 00; registering with Fil d’Ariane (the foreign ministry’s service for travellers abroad) is advised in order to receive alerts.
• Climate: HungaroMet, the Hungarian meteorological service, places most of the country in the warm temperate climate of type Cfa, with hot summers and rainfall spread across the year. The average annual temperature is between 10 and 11.5 °C over most of the country for 1991-2020; January is the coldest month, and the hottest period runs from late July to early August.
• Nature: the tick, which carries encephalitis and Lyme disease, is mainly active in spring and summer; see the page on the Hungarian healthcare system.
• Language: Hungarian is the language of administrative procedures and everyday professional life; language courses are best chosen on arrival.

According to the order of 19 June 2026 establishing the list of accredited French schools abroad (official gazette of 30 June 2026), the Lycée français Gustave-Eiffel in Budapest is accredited from the first year of nursery school to the final general-track year. Families whose French child attends a school accredited by the AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) or by the Mission laïque française can apply for a school grant, subject to conditions (French embassy, page of 31 August 2026).

Families who choose the Hungarian school enquire at the town hall of their place of residence. For families, family health cover is checked at the same time as choosing the school.