Average rents increased by 1.6% nationwide in March compared to February, matching the rate seen in Budapest. On an annual basis, rents rose by 7.3% across Hungary and 6.4% in the capital, indicating a stronger upward trend than earlier in the year.

“The latest data shows that March brought faster price growth,” said László Balogh, chief economist at ingatlan.com. He noted that annual rent increases stood at 5.4% in both Hungary and Budapest in February, suggesting a clear acceleration. According to Balogh, the spring market rebound and rising average wages are key drivers pushing rental prices higher.

Regional data highlights uneven growth across the country. Western Transdanubia saw the steepest monthly increase, with rents climbing 2.8%. Central Transdanubia and Northern Hungary both recorded 2.4% growth, while rents rose by 2% in the Northern Great Plain and 1.8% in Southern Transdanubia. In Pest County, however, growth was more subdued at 0.4%, and the Southern Great Plain posted the smallest increase at 0.8%.

On a yearly basis, Southern Transdanubia led the country with an 11.8% surge in rental prices. Central Transdanubia saw an 8.7% increase, followed by the Northern Great Plain at 8.1%. Other regions, including Pest County, broadly aligned with the national average of 7.3%, while Budapest remained slightly below that level.

Within the capital, rent increases were observed across all district categories, though at varying rates. The most modest annual growth was recorded in the traditionally high-priced Buda hill districts (Districts I, II and XII), where rents rose by a combined 4.1%. In contrast, stronger growth was seen in other Buda districts (III, XI and XXII), where rents climbed 8.8%, and in so-called transitional Pest districts (X, XIII, XIV, XIX and XX), which posted a 6.7% increase.

Despite the recent acceleration, market dynamics suggest limits to further price growth. Median rents in Budapest stood at HUF 255,000 in mid-April, according to ingatlan.com data. Balogh noted that the “rent gap” is continuing to close, with fewer viable listings at both the low and high ends of the market.

“It is very difficult to find a good rental below HUF 200,000, while above HUF 300,000 it is very difficult to rent out a property,” he said.

Among Budapest’s most active rental districts, median asking rents were HUF 250,000 in District XIII, HUF 270,000 in District XI and HUF 285,000 in District VI.

A similar pattern is emerging outside the capital. In Debrecen, median rents have returned to around HUF 220,000, down from a peak of HUF 240,000 in September 2025. Meanwhile, rents in major cities such as Szeged, Győr and Debrecen are now approaching or exceeding the HUF 200,000 mark.

At the lower end of the market, the most affordable county seats—Békéscsaba, Miskolc and Szekszárd—record median rents between HUF 110,000 and HUF 130,000. However, there are no longer any major cities where average rents fall below HUF 100,000.