Choosing the best place to live in Budapest might not be an easy task as it will depend on the lifestyle you are looking to have. Have a look at some of the popular districts of Budapest and learn about their vibes and the benefits of settling there.
Districts of Budapest
The most significant difference between the 23 districts of Budapest is their location, if they are in Buda or in Pest.
Buda and Pest
Buda is on the right side of the river Danube; it is hillier and also greener, with generally more expensive house and apartment prices. It is lovely though, with I. district being its centre. All the main tourist attractions such as the Budai Castle, Matthias Church, Fishermen's Bastion, Gellert Hill and Citadel are located here, to mention just a few. You will find narrow, Mediterranean-style streets with heritage buildings and huge villas on the hillside with magnificent views.
Buda districts are I, II, III, XI, XII and XXII. You will find the others in Pest where you can also find two main groups - central districts and suburban areas. District V, VI, VII, VIII and part of district IX and XIII are located around the city centre, so if you live here, you can technically get anywhere easily just walking or by 4-6 tram, which runs through the main boulevard (Nagykörút). If you prefer to live in the middle of everything, these districts are perfect for you as you can find most of the restaurants, bars, pubs, theatres and cinemas here.
You can also stroll down to the river bank or to Margaret Island, which is the largest green area in the city and one of the best places. There are some disadvantages as well though, as central Pest can be very noisy, the streets are quite dirty, and there is always lots of traffic here with cars, buses, cyclists, electric rollers and segways always in your way.
Quiet neighbourhoods in Budapest
So if you prefer a bit quieter and calmer place to live in, move to district XIV, Zugló, which has lots of green spaces, relatively close to the centre (25 minutes by bus or tram) or XVI, which feels like you have left the city and entered a small village. You can choose district III (Óbuda) for peace and green areas in Buda as well, which also has a long history tracing back to the Romans who have their settlement here called Aquincum. You can still see the remains of their villages in a museum, but if you are not into history, just visit the centre of the district, the baroque-style Main Square with its taverns and restaurants. In August, one of the biggest festivals, Sziget festival, is held here at Hajogyari-sziget.
Student districts in Budapest
If you are a student, you will probably live in the city centre as many universities are located there or district XI (Újbuda), which is close to Lagymanyos Campus and Budapest Technical University. The most expensive area is district V, even though it is in Pest, but as you can find the Parliament and many other government building, banks and 5-star hotels, it's not a surprise.
Cheap districts in Budapest
The cheapest districts are former industrial areas, as district X (Kőbánya), where the famous Kőbányai brewery was located (now Dreher Brewery), and district XIV (Csepel), which is located on an island (Csepel-sziget), and was a typical working-class area with many factories during socialism. Today, the area has changed a lot due to new types of businesses, services, and transport developments. Still, prices are quite low here compared to other districts.
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