One of the reasons Hungary is still so affordable is the fact that they are not yet in the Euro. While many restaurants and hotels will market their prices in Euros, you’ll likely save yourself a bundle when paying with the Forint or Ft, the Hungarian currency.
Exchanging money can be tricky, however. That’s why we’ve created this short intro to the best ways to change Euros into Forint.
Firstly, it’s important to remember never to exchange money on the street. Not only is it illegal but it’s likely to get you short changed on your return or even fake bills.
If you feel you may need to withdraw cash from an ATM on your trip, double check the exchange rate of your bank. Usually, it is somewhere between 0.5-1.5% of the transaction.
Airports and train stations are typically the worst places to exchange money. This is due to inflated rates by exchange merchants in these areas.
You may think that a bank would be your best bet. However, you’d be wrong again. Banks typically charge a higher surcharge than a merchant dedicated to money exchange.
Instead, try to find a reliable exchange merchant. There should be many located throughout tourist areas and shopping malls. Compare prices to find the best rate.
For help finding a location near you, try searching one of the sites below:
- CorrectChange. With 5 locations throughout Budapest, this might be your best bet.
- Northline also has multiple exchange merchant locations in Budapest.
- Exclusive is a chain that has a few locations in downtown Budapest as well as several other cities in Hungary.