I Visited Hungary and Felt Scammed

Introduction

Hungary has a reputation as one of Europe’s last "affordable" gems—a place where you can soak in historic charm, eat hearty food for cheap, and explore stunning architecture without breaking the bank. Budapest, in particular, is hyped as a budget-friendly alternative to pricier cities like Vienna or Prague.

I bought into that hype.

I imagined sipping espresso in grand cafés for pocket change, indulging in authentic Hungarian food at local prices, and soaking in thermal baths without spending a fortune. Travel blogs promised cheap beer, incredible history, and a culture still untouched by mass tourism.

But let me tell you—that’s not the Hungary I experienced.

Instead, I found myself nickel-and-dimed at every turn, overpaying for food that wasn’t even that great, and navigating a city that felt more like a giant tourist trap than a cultural gem. Budapest, especially, has mastered the art of extracting every last forint from unsuspecting visitors—whether it’s in the form of sneaky service fees, overpriced "authentic" experiences, or outright scams.

I left Hungary not just disappointed, but annoyed. Not because it’s a bad country—far from it—but because it’s marketed as something it no longer is: a cheap and underrated European destination. The reality? It’s overpriced, overcrowded, and, at times, outright deceptive.

Let’s break down exactly where Hungary tricks you, where your money actually goes, and whether it’s still worth visiting.

The Myth of "Cheap Hungary" – Where Your Money Actually Goes

Hungary is still cheaper than Western Europe—technically. But that doesn’t mean it’s actually cheap. Prices in Budapest have skyrocketed in recent years, and if you’re a tourist, you’ll be paying way more than the locals do. The idea that you can eat, drink, and explore on a shoestring budget? That’s outdated travel blog fantasy.

Here’s where Hungary really drains your wallet.

Tourist Restaurants

Walk down any of Budapest’s main streets, and you’ll see restaurants advertising “authentic Hungarian cuisine.” Sounds great, right? Until you realize:

A bowl of goulash, once a cheap staple, now costs 4,500-6,000 HUF ($12-16) in touristy areas.
Portions are shrinking, but the prices aren’t.
Many restaurants automatically add a 15-20% service charge—and the staff conveniently “forgets” to tell you.
Some places offer a cheaper “local” menu that tourists never see.

If you’re not careful, you’ll end up spending $40+ on an average meal—the same as in Paris or Berlin.

Hotels & Airbnb

Budapest used to be a haven for budget travelers, but those days are gone.

Hotels in the city center are now charging Western European prices (expect to pay at least $100 per night for anything decent).
Airbnb isn’t much better—listings may seem cheap at first, but then you’ll see:
- Cleaning fees that cost as much as an extra night.
- Tourist taxes that aren’t included in the listed price.
- Hosts who cancel last-minute if they find someone willing to pay more.

Ruin Bars

Once the symbol of Budapest’s underground scene, ruin bars have become tourist-packed cash grabs.

A simple beer that used to cost 500 HUF ($1.50) now goes for 1,500-2,000 HUF ($4-6).
Cocktails? Expect to pay 3,000+ HUF ($9-10)—which is absurd for Hungary.
The vibe? More like a college frat party full of rowdy tourists than an artsy ruin pub.

You’re paying premium prices for a watered-down experience.

Public Transport is Cheap—Taxis Will Rob You

Budapest’s metro and trams are actually a bargain—a single ticket is just 450 HUF ($1.25).
But the moment you step into a taxi, good luck.
- Many refuse to use the meter, especially if they know you’re a tourist.
- Some take longer routes on purpose to increase the fare.
- Late at night? Expect insane surge pricing.

If you don’t call a reputable taxi company (or use Bolt), you’re getting ripped off.

Budapest: Beautiful but a Total Tourist Trap

I still remember the moment I arrived in Budapest, stepping out of the train station, ready to be swept away by the charm everyone raved about. The city was supposed to be a perfect mix of grand European architecture and gritty ruin-pub culture, a place where history meets affordability.

For the first few hours, I was mesmerized. The Danube shimmered in the late afternoon light, the towering Parliament building stood like a postcard, and I thought, this place is going to be incredible.

Then reality started creeping in.

The Chain Bridge Disappointment

I wanted that classic Budapest experience—walking across Chain Bridge at sunset, taking in the cityscape. But as I got closer, I noticed something off. Scaffolding. Fences. Piles of construction materials.

The bridge was under renovation, yet still listed in every guidebook as a "must-do." No signs, no clear detours—just a mass of confused tourists, all staring at a half-closed bridge that wasn’t nearly as picturesque as expected.

No problem, I thought, I’ll check out Buda Castle instead.

Buda Castle: Paying for a Fake Experience

If you see Buda Castle from afar, it looks like something straight out of a royal fairy tale. But when you actually visit? It feels like a museum exhibit pretending to be history.

I made my way up the hill—skipping the overpriced funicular, because I wasn’t about to pay for what was basically a 19th-century elevator ride—and started exploring. But the more I walked around, the more something felt... off.

Most of the buildings weren’t actually old—they had been rebuilt so many times that it felt artificial, like a historical theme park. The castle grounds were filled with souvenir stands, charging triple for the same trinkets I’d seen in the city below. And if you wanted to go inside? Another overpriced ticket.

I asked myself: Am I really experiencing history here, or just a curated version made for tourists?

The "Authentic" Thermal Baths Scam

By now, I was ready for something uniquely Hungarian—the famous thermal baths. Széchenyi Baths, in particular, were at the top of every "must-visit" list. Supposedly, this was where locals came to relax, where you could soak in warm mineral water and feel centuries of history around you.

So, I paid my 10,000 HUF ($30) entry fee—which, by the way, is not exactly budget-friendly—and stepped inside.

What I found was less relaxing European spa, more overcrowded public swimming pool. The water was lukewarm at best. The changing rooms were a mess—wet floors, broken lockers, and a distinct smell that made me question how often the place was cleaned.

And the crowds? Hundreds of tourists, crammed into the water, posing for Instagram photos while sipping overpriced cocktails. There was nothing relaxing or authentic about it.

I left after 30 minutes, feeling ripped off and slightly grossed out.

The Great Market Hall

Still hoping for some local authenticity, I decided to check out the Great Market Hall, expecting a bustling, traditional market where I could grab fresh produce and sample real Hungarian food.

Instead, I walked into a tourist-filled shopping trap.

Everywhere I looked, stalls were selling paprika tins, overpriced sausages, and generic souvenirs that had nothing to do with local culture. The food stalls? Charging double the price for reheated versions of Hungarian dishes. The locals? Nowhere to be found.

I realized that this place had once been authentic, but tourism had completely taken over.

The Moment I Knew Budapest Was a Tourist Trap

It hit me when I sat down at a so-called "traditional" Hungarian restaurant. The menu was in perfect English, the waiters were overly friendly (until I asked too many questions), and the goulash I ordered arrived suspiciously fast—clearly pre-made and reheated.

Then I got the bill.

A 20% service charge had been automatically added without a word. I knew tipping wasn’t mandatory in Hungary, but the waiter still lingered uncomfortably, waiting for me to add an extra tip on top.

At that moment, I realized: I wasn’t experiencing Hungary—I was experiencing a version of it built for tourists to spend money.

Budapest is beautiful. But if you don’t know where to look, you’ll end up paying premium prices for an experience that’s been repackaged, sanitized, and sold to travelers like a theme park attraction.

And that’s before you even factor in the outright scams—which I’ll get into next.

The Hidden Tourist Scams & Annoyances

By the time I had been in Budapest for a few days, I had already noticed the overpriced attractions, the reconstructed “history,” and the relentless crowds. But those were just the surface-level disappointments. The real frustration came when I realized how deeply ingrained tourist exploitation had become in this city.

It wasn’t just about money—it was about how the city had turned tourists into walking ATMs through a mix of sneaky pricing tactics, local indifference, and outright scams.

Here’s how Budapest actively works against travelers, making it one of the most frustrating places I’ve ever visited.

The Taxi Mafia: Rigged from the Start

I’ve been scammed by taxis before. It happens in most major cities. But Budapest? It takes taxi scams to a whole new level.

The moment I stepped out of the train station, taxi drivers were circling like vultures, aggressively offering "cheap rides." But cheap, of course, is relative. I had read about the scams, so I tried to do the right thing—book a licensed taxi.

Didn’t matter.

Even legit taxi companies overcharge foreigners. Many drivers refuse to use the meter, or they set it at an absurdly high starting fare.
If they do use the meter, some have rigged devices that make the fare jump faster than it should.
If you call a taxi from an official app like Bolt, expect drivers to cancel rides if they see your name isn’t Hungarian. They know they can scam a clueless tourist instead.
The absolute worst scam? Taxi drivers pretending to accept card payments, then claiming “the machine doesn’t work” once they’ve already started driving. You’re then forced to withdraw cash from an ATM—often one that gives you a terrible exchange rate.

The only way to get around this? Call a taxi through Bolt and confirm the fare beforehand—or just avoid taxis altogether. Budapest’s public transport is solid, but unfortunately, it’s also home to its own scams.

Public Transport Fines

You’d think a city with cheap public transport would be easy to navigate, but in Budapest, even that is designed to trip up tourists.

A single metro ticket is cheap—just 450 HUF (~$1.25). But here’s the catch:
- Tickets aren’t valid for transfers unless you buy the right kind.
- There are almost no signs explaining this rule in English.
- Ticket inspectors deliberately target tourists, knowing they won’t be aware of the transfer rule.

I watched multiple confused travelers get fined 8,000 HUF (~$22) on the spot, simply because they thought a single ticket covered their entire trip. And trust me—these ticket inspectors don’t care if you’re a first-time visitor. They are ruthless.

To make things worse, Budapest’s transport system is notorious for pickpockets. Crowded metro lines, especially M3 and M4, are prime hunting grounds. And don’t expect any help if you get robbed—local authorities won’t bother filing a report unless you lose something major like a passport.

The Restaurant Rip-Offs

I’ve eaten in overpriced tourist areas before, but Budapest’s restaurant scene has perfected the art of squeezing every last cent out of travelers.

It starts with the menu scam. You sit down at a seemingly normal restaurant, and the prices seem reasonable. Then you order—and suddenly, the waiter brings you a different menu with higher prices. When you ask why, they shrug. “That’s the dinner menu.”

Other sneaky tactics include:

Fake service fees: Some places add a 20% charge without telling you, then pressure you into tipping on top of it.
The “no small change” trick: If you pay in cash, many places will claim they don’t have small bills for change, hoping you’ll leave the extra as a tip.
The bread and butter scam: Some restaurants bring bread to the table without asking—then charge you for it.

But my favorite scam? Menus without prices. I made the mistake of ordering a cocktail at a bar without checking the menu first, assuming it would be reasonable by Hungarian standards. The bill came—5,500 HUF ($15) for a weak, poorly mixed drink.

At that point, I knew Budapest had fully embraced the art of overcharging tourists.

Currency Exchange Tricks

Another classic scam that Budapest pretends isn’t happening? The ATM rip-off.

There are two types of ATMs in Budapest:

Bank-owned ATMs (OTP Bank, K&H Bank, etc.)
Euronet ATMs—the worst scam in Europe

Euronet ATMs are everywhere in Budapest, usually in high-traffic tourist areas. They offer terrible exchange rates and always try to trick you into withdrawing more money than you need.

Here’s how the scam works:

You insert your card and select an amount.
The ATM automatically converts your withdrawal to your home currency—at a ridiculously bad rate.
It pressures you to accept their exchange rate with scary messages like "If you decline, your bank may charge high fees!"
If you don’t pay attention, you’ll lose 10-15% of your money in the conversion.

The solution? Always choose "decline conversion" and let your own bank handle it. Or better yet, use a local bank ATM.

The Worst Part? No One Cares.

What makes all of this worse is the complete indifference from locals.

Unlike other cities where scams feel like small-time hustlers trying their luck, Budapest’s tourist traps feel systematic, like they’ve been baked into the city’s tourism industry.

Try complaining? No one cares.

Waiters will shrug if you question the bill.
Taxi drivers will gaslight you into thinking the meter is accurate.
Ticket inspectors will ignore your confusion and demand the fine.

Even the Hungarian Tourism Board seems to have no interest in fixing these issues. They market Budapest as this magical, affordable city—but they know full well what’s really happening.

Hungary Beyond Budapest – Still Worth Visiting?

After a few days in Budapest, I was fed up. The constant scams, the feeling of being treated like a walking wallet, and the frustration of seeing a city that had sold itself out to tourism—it was enough to make me question whether Hungary was even worth visiting at all.

But I wasn’t ready to give up just yet. I had read that the "real" Hungary was outside Budapest, where things were supposedly still authentic, affordable, and free from the relentless exploitation of tourists. So, I left the capital behind and set out to see if that was true.

Lake Balaton: Hungary’s "Riviera" (That No One Warns You About)

Ask any Hungarian where to go outside Budapest, and they’ll probably mention Lake Balaton—the country’s largest lake and its answer to a beach vacation. Sounds promising, right?

I was picturing peaceful lake views, charming villages, and fresh fish caught the same morning. Instead, I got something that felt closer to a budget resort town full of cheap beer and sunburnt crowds.

The water? Murky and shallow—don’t expect to actually swim much.
The food? Overpriced, underwhelming, and the infamous "Balaton fish" is mostly frozen and reheated.
The vibe? Loud, chaotic, and packed with drunk tourists and weekenders from Budapest.

And the biggest scam? You have to pay just to access certain beaches. That’s right—many parts of the lake are fenced off, and if you want to sit by the water, you need to pay an entry fee.

I left after a day, wondering how this place had become one of Hungary’s top recommendations.

Eger: A Refreshing Change—Until You Try the Wine

After Balaton, I made my way to Eger, a historic town known for its baroque architecture and famous red wine, Egri Bikavér ("Bull’s Blood"). It was, at first, a welcome break from the madness of Budapest.

The town itself? Charming. Cobblestone streets, an old castle, and fewer tourists. But when I sat down to try Hungary’s legendary wine, the experience went downhill fast.

Egri Bikavér is supposed to be one of Hungary’s finest wines—but what you’ll be served in most touristy wine cellars is low-quality, mass-produced wine sold at premium prices.

I took a wine-tasting tour expecting a deep dive into Hungarian winemaking. Instead, I got:

Watered-down wine samples served in tiny glasses.
A host who clearly didn’t care about wine and recited a script.
A pushy sales pitch at the end to buy overpriced bottles.

At that point, I started wondering if authentic Hungarian experiences even existed anymore—or if everything had been commercialized.

Pécs: Finally, Some Authenticity

By the time I reached Pécs, I had almost given up on finding a place in Hungary that didn’t feel like a tourist trap. And then, finally—I found it.

Pécs is one of the few places in Hungary that still feels like it exists for locals, not just for visitors. It’s a small university town with real cafés, local markets, and actual history that hasn’t been reconstructed into something fake.

Here, for the first time:

Meals were affordable and made for locals—not for tourists willing to overpay.
Attractions felt authentic—the old mosques and Roman ruins weren’t covered in tacky signs and souvenir stands.
The pace was slower, the people friendlier, and the prices reasonable.

If Hungary has any city that still feels untouched by mass tourism, it’s Pécs.

The Harsh Truth: Hungary Outside Budapest Is Hit or Miss

After traveling through the country, here’s what I realized: Hungary isn’t entirely ruined, but it’s not the hidden gem people make it out to be either.

Small towns still have charm—but only if you avoid the ones designed for tourists.
The wine industry has become commercialized—so good luck finding anything truly special.
Lake Balaton is the biggest disappointment—unless you like paying to sit by murky water.

Hungary still has some authenticity left, but you have to search for it. And after the exhausting experience of Budapest, I started wondering: Is it even worth the effort?

Conclusion

By the time I left Hungary, I was conflicted. On one hand, the country is undeniably beautiful. Budapest’s grand architecture, the rolling hills of the countryside, and the deep historical roots all make Hungary sound like an ideal destination.

But that’s just what the tourism industry wants you to believe.

The reality? Hungary isn’t the budget-friendly, underrated European escape that travel blogs make it out to be. It’s a country that has, over the years, perfected the art of squeezing every last forint out of visitors—while offering less and less in return.

That’s not to say Hungary is a total disaster. There are still places, like Pécs, where authenticity and local culture haven’t been completely eroded. But finding those experiences takes time, effort, and a lot of frustration.

So, Would I Go Back?

Honestly? Probably not.

If you’re considering visiting, go in with your eyes open. Hungary isn’t the secret budget paradise that influencers make it out to be. It’s a place that will take your money first—and give you an average experience in return.