Category: Shopping

Best Second-Hand Clothes Stores in Budapest: Where to Find Vintage and Budget Fashion

Best Second-Hand Clothes Stores in Budapest: Where to Find Vintage and Budget Fashion

Posted on by Budapest Guide

If you want to buy clothes in Budapest without paying full retail prices, second-hand shops are a good option. Some visitors are looking for vintage fashion, while others simply want inexpensive everyday clothing. You can find both, but it helps to know what to expect before you start shopping.

Many second-hand stores are located in the city center or just outside it, so you do not need to travel far. If you are also planning to visit shopping malls and fashion streets, take a look at our guide to shopping in Budapest for a broader overview.

Do I need to leave the city center?

No. Several of the best-known second-hand shops are in the inner districts, especially District V, VI, and VII. These areas are easy to reach by metro, tram, or bus, and you can often combine shopping with sightseeing.

If you are staying near Deák Ferenc tér, Oktogon, or Astoria, you will find several second-hand stores within walking distance. Some larger chain stores are located a little farther out, but they are still easy to reach using public transport.

Which second-hand stores are the most popular?

Háda

Háda is probably the best-known second-hand clothing chain in Hungary. It has several branches across Budapest, including central locations. You will find men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, together with shoes and accessories.

Stock changes regularly, so what you find depends on the day you visit. Some branches organize discount days when prices fall as new collections arrive. If you enjoy browsing, you may find very good deals, but it takes time.

Cream

Cream is popular with people looking for better-quality second-hand fashion. The shops are usually well organized, and you may find international brands that cost much more when bought new. Prices can be higher than in some other second-hand stores, especially for fashionable or nearly new items.

Humana

Humana has stores in central Budapest and is known for its rotating pricing system. New stock arrives at higher prices, and then prices gradually drop over the following days until many items become very inexpensive. If your travel dates are flexible, it is worth checking which pricing stage the shop is currently using.

LoveBug Vintage

If you are specifically looking for vintage clothing rather than cheap everyday fashion, LoveBug Vintage is one of the better-known choices in central Budapest. Expect carefully selected pieces instead of large quantities of clothing. Prices are usually higher than in standard second-hand shops because the focus is on style and unique items rather than bargains.

Can you really save money?

Yes, but not always.

If your goal is simply to buy basic clothing, second-hand shops can offer excellent value. You may find jeans, jackets, shirts, or sweaters for much less than in regular stores. However, fashionable vintage pieces or well-known designer brands often cost much more than people expect.

Finding the best bargains also requires patience. Unlike shopping in a regular clothing store, you may need to look through hundreds of items before finding the right size, color, or style.

What about shopping malls?

If you visit Budapest’s shopping malls instead of second-hand stores, you will mainly find international fast-fashion brands. Stores such as H&M, Reserved, C&A, New Yorker, Zara, Bershka, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, and Sinsay are common.

These shops regularly have seasonal sales. If you visit during a sale, the price difference between new and second-hand clothing may be smaller than you expect. It is worth comparing prices before making a purchase.

What should I expect during my visit?

Second-hand shopping takes longer than shopping in regular fashion stores. There are usually fitting rooms, but they can be busy during weekends. Most shops accept bank cards, although carrying a small amount of cash is never a bad idea.

Weekday mornings and early afternoons are generally quieter than Saturdays. Mobile phone coverage is excellent throughout central Budapest, so checking prices online or contacting friends while shopping is easy.

If you enjoy searching for bargains and do not mind spending some time browsing, Budapest has several good second-hand stores that are easy to reach. If you only want one specific item as quickly as possible, a shopping mall may be the faster and more predictable option.

What are the prices like in Budapest?

What are the prices like in Budapest?

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Most of us try to find out approximately how much money you will use as you come to Budapest before you arrive. How much does it cost to eat in a restaurant? What is the price of a beer in a pub? What do I need to pay for bread in a grocery store? What is the cost if I want to visit the Hungarian Parliament or pay the entrance fee to the Matthias Church or the Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest? We have written lots of articles about the currency in Budapest and whether or not Budapest is an expensive city before, but this article is yet another attempt at helping those coming to Budapest shortly plan better.

It is important to know that the prices in Hungary have increased a lot since 2020. As a result, many people who visited the city 5-6 years ago are shocked by the prices they see and pay as they eat in restaurants, drink coffee and eat cakes at confectioneries, or pay the entrance fees to museums and attractions in Budapest. Instead of just writing words in general about the prices in Budapest, let us take a closer look at some prices for some of the most popular objects and places that you might be interested in.

Price examples that will help you prepare for your trip to Budapest.

Prices from a grocery store

Let us first imagine that you enter a grocery store in Budapest. Here are examples of prices for popular products and articles. These are just examples meaning that you might find similar products at a lower price, but you can also find similar objects at a much higher price.

(these prices origin from August 2024)

  • 1 liter milk: 1 Euro
  • 1/2 bread: 1,5 Euro (this is normal white bread)
  • 1/2 liter beer: 0,75 Euro
  • 1 1/2 liter Coca Cola: 1,5 Euro
  • 1 kg apples: 1,5 Euro
  • 1 1/2 liter water: 0,5 Euro

These are just some examples from a local grocery store in Budapest. Let us enter a pub to have a drink.

Prices as you enter a local pub.

  • 1/2 liter local beer: 2,5 Euro
  • 1/2 liter Guinness: 5 Euro
  • 0,25 liter Pepsi: 1,5 Euro
  • 0,1 liter wine: 1,25 Euro
  • Cappuccino: 2 Euro
  • Jim Bean (0,4 CL): 3 Euro
  • Pizza (30cm): 9 Euro

Would you like to visit one of the favorite confectionaries instead?

Prices as you enter one of the famous confectionaries of Budapest.

  • Hungarian classics (three cakes + vanilla ice): 15 Euro (Gerbeaud)
  • Gerbeaud Pancake: 12 Euro (Gerbeaud)
  • Espresso: 4 Euro (Gerbeaud)
  • Cappuccino: 6 Euro (Gerbeaud)
  • Coca Cola (0,25 liter): 4 Euro (Gerbeaud)
  • 0,5 liter beer 7,5 Euro (Gerbeaud)
  • New York Chocolate Cake: 11 Euro (New York)
  • Ham and Cheese toast: 14 Euro (New York)
  • New York Burger: 22 Euro (New York)
  • Cappuccino: 10 Euro (New York)
  • San Pellegrino water (0,75 liter): 11 Euro (New York)
  • Beer (0,33 liter): 6 Euro (New York)
Hungarian Classics at Gerbeaud in Budapest.

As you can see, New York is a very expensive place and most likely among the most expensive in all of Budapest. But, it is a beautiful place so if you don’t mind paying extra, it is worth the experience.

Prices if you want to enter museums and attractions in Budapest.

Would you like to learn more about certain aspects of the history of Hungary, or maybe you want to see a beautiful building from the inside? Here you have examples of how much you have to pay to visit popular museums, attractions, and buildings in Budapest.

The prices are based on the full-price entrance fee for an adult.

  • Hungarian National Museum: 9 Euro
  • St. Stephen’s Basilica: 6 Euro (basic ticket)
  • Matthias Church: 8 Euro (basic ticket)
  • Hungarian Parliament: 15 Euro (for EU members) – 30 Euro (for non-EU members)
  • Szechenyi Thermal Bath: from 28 Euro
  • Museum of Fine Arts: 13 Euro
  • Budapest Zoo: 13 Euro
  • Tropicarium: 13 Euro
  • Madame Tussauds: 31 Euro
St. Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest.

These are some examples of prices for popular attractions and locations in Budapest. Are you getting hungry? How much do you pay for popular meals at restaurants in Budapest?

Prices if you want to eat at a nice restaurant in Budapest.

  • Pizza (32 cm): 10 Euro (this is a very average price)
  • Basic Hamburger: 10 Euro (may vary a lot in both directions)
  • Goulash Soup: 8-10 Euro
  • Chocolate Souffle: 5-7 Euro
  • Caesar Salad: 9-10 Euro
  • Big Mac and Whopper? Check this article for more information.

These are very average prices, and the nicer the restaurant, the more expensive it becomes. In general, you can calculate the prices of starters moving between 5 and 15 Euro, main courses between 8 and 30 Euro, and desserts between 4 and 10 Euro.

We hope this short article has given you some more information about the prices in Budapest. If you have questions about other prices or a comment that you would like to share, use the comment field below!

Ordering from Temu/Shein to Hungary - All you need to know!

Ordering from Temu/Shein to Hungary – All you need to know!

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Have you seen Temu/Shein ads on Facebook, Instagram, or just read about it somewhere? Would you like to order Temu products to Hungary? Is it worth it? Is it easy? Are there any hidden costs you need to be aware of? What about VAT? This article gives you all the information you must know before ordering from Temu to Hungary!

Temu is an online store located in China and it operates with extremely low prices. Due to the low prices, it is tempting to order all sorts of products. You can find all sorts of products at Temu, but most of them are quite small products in the priced between €1 and €10. There are, of course, more expensive articles as well at Temu, but most people turn to Temu to buy cheap products.

Shein is similar to Temu, but Shein is first of all about fashion. You can find fashion also at Temu, but not as much as at Shein.

Have you found a fantastic skirt or a nice trouser at Shein? Or have you found some fantastic sunglasses, a pendrive, and an amazing garlic chopper at Temu? Do you have a shopping cart packed with products, but you are not sure whether you should place your order or not? Are you worried about additional costs?

Are there any additional costs when you order from Temu and Shein to Hungary?

There is a VAT when you order products from China to Hungary. If we look at history, then this was only something you had to pay for orders above a certain value. Then things changed, and suddenly you had to pay VAT on every single order from sites such as AliExpress, Shein, Temu, and others.

But, let us return to the present!

If you visit the Temu website and order a product, you are entitled to free shipping. But, what’s going on as the product enters Europe and Hungary? Do you need to pay additional VAT? The answer to that question is NO! As you pay for a product, the VAT is already included, which means that Temu, Shein, and other stores are responsible themselves for paying the VAT. In other words, that is already included in the price you are paying as you order the product. That is very convenient, because you get the products faster and you don’t have to worry about additional payments and delays due to the VAT payment.

Once again, when you have paid for your Shein or Temu order, you are finished paying. If you receive an SMS or other message from the Hungarian post telling that you need to pay, it is a scam and you shouldn’t click the link or anything in the message. By the way, those messages are extremely frequent in Hungary (and elsewhere), so be careful and watch out for such in all cases!

shein to hungary

How fast will I get my order from Temu and Shein?

Temu and Shein have made deliveries from China very quick (compared to what we experienced in the past). Normally, orders are delivered within 2 weeks which is very fast compared to the past in which we often had to wait for one month or more. Besides this, they use well-known delivery companies, which makes it easier to track the status of the package you are expecting.

How is that possible? There are several airplanes leaving China daily with packages sent from Temu and Shein. That makes it so fast, but also so bad for the environment. Not only are Temu and Shein polluting a lot by producing and selling products full of plastic and polyester, but also by causing extreme pollution with all the planes traveling to and from China and all the contents of the world with products on a daily basis.

That is why it is worth thinking twice before you place an order, and only order what you really need. It is also smart to read reviews of products before you order, because there are lots of things you can learn about products in reviews that you are unable to find at the Temu or Shein website. You can find lots of Temu reviews at testingtemu.com (for example).

It is also worth noticing that lots of the reviews at the Temu website itself are crappy. What do we mean? Half the reviews give full score only to say “It looks good, even though I haven’t had the chance to test the product yet.” That isn’t a very helpful review, but it still comes with five stars. Looking at websites such as the one referred to above or watching videos on TikTok and YouTube might give you more insight than the review part of Shein and the Temu website.

What if I regret my purchase?

Both Shein and Temu have warrancies and give you the chance to return your products and get your money in return. You can read more about how this works after you have received your order. It normally is more work and stress to do so if you have placed an order of little value, but if purchase an expensive product that you are not satisfied with, this might be useful.

Is the shipping really free?

If you reach the minimum order value at both Shein and Temu, the products are shipped for free!

Do you have any additional questions about shopping and ordering products from Shein and Temu to Hungary? Use the comment field below.

Ordering from Amazon to Hungary - How does it work? VAT? Shipping costs?

Ordering from Amazon to Hungary – How does it work? VAT? Shipping costs?

Posted on by Budapest Guide

Would you like to order products from Amazon to your address in Hungary? Hungary doesn’t have an Amazon store, so you must choose between Amazon.com, Amazon.de, and Amazon.co.uk. Which is the best for you? Which is the cheapest? Everything you need to know about ordering from Amazon to Hungary.

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, and it is an incredibly successful company. Not only do they sell products made by others, but they also create devices and products themselves, like the Kindle, Fire tablets, and much more. What can you do if you want to order from Amazon? It depends on which product you want to buy.

shop on amazon.de to hungary

Order from Amazon to Hungary.

You will find very similar products on Amazon in Germany, the United Kingdom, and in the United States. So, where should you order from? In general, the best and easiest solution is to order from Amazon in Germany. Why is that?

Why is Amazon Germany the best solution for Hungary?

There are several reasons why you should order from Amazon.de if you live in Hungary.

  • It is the closest location to Hungary. This makes the delivery faster and easier, and often cheaper!
  • Since Germany is in the European Union, you don’t have to pay additional VAT or other costs as the goods arrive in Hungary.

These are the main reasons why you should order from Amazon.de to Hungary. You might find products cheaper on Amazon.com, but when you add the shipping fees, the VAT, and the waiting time, you will discover that it isn’t worth it.

What about Amazon.co.uk? You could consider it, but seeing the United Kingdom outside the EU and the strong British Pound, you will most likely do much better ordering from Amazon Germany instead.

Do you need to know German to order from Amazon.de? Not at all! You can search in English, and you can set the platform language to English. It will often translate your search request to German, but you will normally see all the necessary information about the products in English.

How much does it cost to ship products from Amazon to Hungary?

For the purpose of this article, I created an order of three products that I want to send to Hungary from Amazon.de. I added a nice Samsung monitor that I can use while writing articles in the Budapest Guide. Even though I am a computer nerd, I need to smell good so I added a bottle of Hugo Boss perfume as well. Since it is important to read, I also added a brand new Kindle from Amazon to my shopping basket.

my amazon order

I was quite lucky with this order because all products are dispatched and sold by Amazon. As a result, they can group all products into one order and package. This makes shipping cheaper.

It is worth noticing that the price of certain products often increases the moment Amazon realizes that it is sent abroad. As a result, the price of the three products suddenly became 291 euros instead of 273 euros when I reached the checkout. Shipping is then added to the order, making the final price 313 euros.

amazon order to hungary
The good thing is that when you see the final price, you know that no more costs will be added. You don’t need to fear hidden costs, nor that your package will be stuck in customs until you pay VAT.

What about products that Amazon doesn’t send to Hungary?

Most products can be sent to Hungary from Amazon in Germany and from Amazon in the United Kingdom and the United States. But, sometimes, there are exceptions. I have often seen that Amazon is unwilling to send its own products, such as Fire tablets, Echo loudspeakers, and the Kindle to other countries. What can you do if you experience that?

There are solutions that you can use to solve such problems as well. It is very easy, and you normally pay only for additional shipping.

You can visit any of the three sites above and get a free storage address in the UK, the United States, and in Germany. It is entirely free. You will immediately receive a postal address in that given country. This can be used as you order products from Amazon in that country. Since you are delivering products within the country, you will pay less for the products and for shipping.

As the package arrives to the address, you will receive a notification in email. You can then have the package sent to your home address in Hungary. The cost depends on the site and the weight of the package, but it normally doesn’t cost more than Amazon would make you pay to send the package to Hungary.

Eager to go shopping on Amazon? Use the links below.

Is it worth ordering from Amazon to Hungary?

It is possible to order from Amazon to Hungary, but is it worth it? Many people expect it to be very cheap in Hungary. Some products are cheap, but not all products. You will be surprised if you go to a fashion store and see a price tag with prices in different currencies. What will you discover? The price in Forint is very similar to the Euro price, sometimes identical, sometimes cheaper, and quite often, more expensive. As a result, you don’t find similar products cheaper in Hungary than elsewhere.

If you compare the prices of computers, monitors, and accessories, you will often see that the price are a little bit cheaper in Hungary, but not much. If you want to know for sure, go ahead and compare the prices of an exact product, and you will immediately see whether it is worth it or not.

There are, however, certain products that you cannot buy in Hungary. It is obvious that you order such products from Amazon (if they are available). Examples of such products are Amazon products. You can also find giant discounts on Amazon around Black Friday and Easter, and then it is absolutely worth shopping on the platform.

I hope this article has answered many of your questions about ordering products from Amazon to Hungary. If you have further tips, insight, or questions, use the comment field below.

What is the price of a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt in Budapest?

Posted on by Budapest Guide

I am going to Budapest and would like to buy a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt while there. How much does it cost?

There are quite a lot of products you can buy in the Hard Rock shop in Budapest, but if you want to buy the traditional short armed Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts with white or black color the price is 7700 HUF per t-shirt. If you are new to Budapest and do not really know how much this price is in other currencies, then we can tell you that with the actual exchange rates of today this is:

6500 HUF is in American Dollars about 31USD. If you come from Great Britain and London then the price is about 20GBP (Sterling). For those located within in a country with Euro the price is approximately 25 Euro. This may of course change from time to time, but currently the HUF is very strong, but that can change within days, and then the price of the Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt will feel cheaper to people arriving from abroad.

Most people buy Hard Rock t-shirts because they collect. If you don’t then you should probably not buy one in Budapest, because the price is really high. If you go to other stores you will find normal t-shirts at much lower prices, so you can probably buy 2 t-shirts for the same price as the t-shirt from Hard Rock Cafe. But if you collect, then money is not a question, and of course you should buy a t-shirt!

Good luck, and we hope this answer can help you!

Ask your Budapest question!