Hungarian housing market cools, price growth slows

The Hungarian property market is experiencing a slowdown, with prices falling by 0.5% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous quarter. This marks a significant shift from the rapid price increases seen in recent years. North Hungary has seen the most pronounced cooling, with apartment prices dropping by nearly 10% in the first three months of the year.

Annually, price growth has also moderated across the country. North Hungary recorded a modest increase of just over 10%, while regions like Southern Transdanubia and the cities of Pest county still showed strong annual gains of 22.8% and 20.5% respectively, according to the central bank. This indicates a regional divergence in market performance.

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the trend of moderating price growth is likely to continue, meaning the price increase will gradually slide down the European rankings.

Internationally, Hungary's housing price increases, while slowing, remain high. The KSH's latest data shows an 11.2% annual rise in the first quarter, placing it among the top EU countries for price appreciation. However, it is no longer the "European champion" it once was, with the pace now roughly double the EU average of 5.1%. Analysts predict this trend of moderating price growth will continue, with annual increases expected to be around 10% for 2026, still considered high in a European context.

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the Hungarian housing price increase is still not the European champion, as in previous years, but it was still among the top of the continent, and roughly double the EU average of 5.1%.