Life in Hungary: What foreigners need to know – from the Baltic perspective

Author: Baiba Rozenberga

Our team is committed to reaching out to and giving a voice to foreigners who have moved to Hungary for work, family, or other reasons, and who spend their daily lives here. We want to understand how they feel about living here, what difficulties they face, how they have managed to integrate, and what they think about Hungary and their place of residence. Therefore, we have launched a series in which we interview foreigners living here about their work and experiences in our country.

Please read this piece from Baiba Rozenberga.

People often ask how I ended up living in Budapest, and the short answer is: a few strange coincidences.

Back in 2017, I decided I wanted to leave Latvia. I had some savings and figured I’d sort life out on the go. My first plan was Nice, France. I spent almost a month there trying to imagine how my life would look. But the vibe was off. It was less than a year after the terror attack; the streets were full of soldiers with guns, and locals kept warning me which areas to avoid. You could feel the tension even when no one said it out loud.

While I was there, a Hungarian friend – someone I’d met years earlier in Venezuela – called to discuss a business idea. I told him that wasn’t a phone conversation and he should come to Nice. He bought the ticket, but something came up and he never arrived. Feeling bad, he invited me to Budapest instead. I came for a week and never left. For a year, I went back and forth between Riga and Budapest while we were dating. In June 2018 I moved. The relationship ended in 2019; he’s long moved to another country, and I’m still here.

I’m a Buda girl through and through. Pest is fun, but too hectic for me. I’ve barely moved away from the Gellért Hill area since I arrived.

Workwise, I’m the Head of Startups at MBH FintechLab, active in the Hungarian Fintech Association, teach at universities, and mentor student startups. I am single – I have a dog, Otto, and a plant called Bruno, both alive and thriving, which I consider an achievement.

• Life in Hungary: What foreigners need to know – from the perspective of a rural Englishman

First impressions: Dust and charm

The first thing I noticed after my plane landed in Budapest was the dust. The architecture was amazing, but the parks and gardens looked neglected. In Latvia, gardening borders on obsession. We even have a national clean-up day with a cheerful mascot called “Pigman.” Drop litter there, and someone will call you out.

I think Budapest is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe. I love the weather – winters are mild, summers hot but tolerable, and unlike in Latvia, the forecast is reliable.

Why I love living here

Budapest itself fits my personality. It has all the best and the worst in it – like a New York–style café covered in gold with a homeless guy sleeping next to the door. Each district has its own vibe and tiny “centre,” and I think we all live in completely different Budapests.

I’m a numbers person, and my favourite mind, dead or alive, is Neumann János; I’ve always loved game theory. I also love horses, so the story of the unbeaten racehorse Kincsem fascinates me, and horses are such a strong part of Hungarian culture. 

Hungarians often get labelled as distant or overly fond of complaining, but that hasn’t been my experience. They’re generous and genuinely kind – when someone offers to help, they mean it. Friends have shown up with medicine when I am sick or helped me move. They smile more than people give them credit for and know how to enjoy small things.

Hungarians love conversations; talking is a crucial part of the culture. Coming from Latvia, where people avoid small talk and barely greet their neighbours, it took me years to get used to it. Someone from further south or east might see it differently, but compared to Austria – where I’ve lived as well and where complaining is practically a hobby – Hungarians feel warm and welcoming.