Effective networking is when you know where, when, and how to address potentially useful contacts, and how to avoid committing common mistakes. As an expat in Budapest,聽it is best to learn about the local networking etiquette to get the most of networking opportunities.
How to make friends in Budapest
To settle down in a new place is never easy, especially when talking about moving to a new country. Budapest is generally a welcoming city, and people are friendly with foreigners, even if they can't speak English or any other foreign language. Most of them will try to help you. Hungarians sometimes appear reserved or stoic, and it can take a bit of time to establish a connection, but they are genuinely warm once you get there. Patience is key here when it comes to networking and making friends.
You can meet people through online groups like the ones on Facebook or on Meetup. Digital communities like Hungary Expats, Budapest Digital Nomads, the r/budapest subreddit, and Budapest Language Exchange and Friends are excellent starting points. For those wondering if colleagues socialize outside of the office, the answer is generally yes, though the boundaries are often stricter than in Anglo cultures. Work friendships often migrate to "ruin pubs" after hours, but inviting a boss to a casual hangout is less common. You can find English speaking programs in many bars and cafes like 脡leszt艖 B谩r and Szimpla Kert. Besides, you can just visit any ruin pubs, and you will definitely find other foreigners with whom you can start a conversation or just practice Hungarian with locals.
If you have specific interests and hobbies, try to join a club to find likeminded people. You can join a walking or running club, or even a hiking club to discover the surroundings of the city, practice yoga in one of the English-speaking classes, or go on a tango class held in English. If you are more interested in arts, you must visit Brody House and Brody Studios, which are central points for expats and local writers, artists and journalists. Many cultural events are organised here, from comedy nights to literary talks. You can even go and watch a show in English performed by the Budapest English Theatre. More prominent museums, like the Hungarian National Museum, Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Arts or the House of Terror Museum, offer tours with English-speaking guides.
Building your professional network in Budapest
If you would like to get to know people in your profession and build a circle, first of all, you have to open up and start a conversation with as many people as you can. Networking is incredibly important in Hungary; it is often said that who you know is just as vital as what you know, particularly for navigating local bureaucracy or finding unadvertised roles. In Hungary, traditional ways of networking are still popular. You can get to know about the latest news, opportunities and promotions from chatting with your colleagues and your boss. Be careful though, when you talk to your superiors, and use appropriate language. Try to keep a good relationship with the HR department as well, so they can advise you with extra tips. Take part in team-building events and visit the company parties, so you can get to know more people all around the company, and people will also recognise you.
You can meet people with the same background or interest in different courses and training programs. For example, if you work in IT, and take part in a specialised course, you can meet people with IT background from beginners to top-level managers, as these courses are meant for everyone who wants to improve their knowledge. Same can be said in every profession, so watch out for upcoming courses and apply for them to learn and meet new people from your sector. There is a distinct segmentation in events depending on your field. While business and finance professionals gravitate toward formal chamber events, the tech and creative scenes are far more casual.
Many universities organise seminars and workshops not just for students, but also for professionals, so it is useful to have a look at the biggest universities' websites too. , which organises Alumni Workshops, allows senior members to discuss the latest issues and to cooperate with Hungarian experts and companies. You can also build your network at professional events organised by international companies. AmCham Hungary (), for example, provides high-level networking opportunities like the Business Meets Government Summit, Competitive Education Conference, or Digital Conference. You can check their next event on their website. You can also visit other chambers' events like the British or . For entrepreneurs and startuppers, look for specific incubator nights or "demo days" rather than general business mixers to find investors and collaborators.
You can find more networking events on Meetup, as well as websites like Eventbrite and Eventful. Coworking spaces are getting popular in Budapest, too. Freelancers and employees of startups are getting together, and instead of renting their own office, just share one. It is much more cost-efficient this way, and you can also get inspiration from other professionals. You can find Startup Campus at Millen谩ris, Kapt谩r in VI. District, or Impact in V. District. Using these spaces is a "soft" networking tactic that works well here; simply being a regular face in a shared office often leads to organic introductions.
Networking etiquette in Budapest
Hungarian society is quite relaxed if you look at its traditions and social etiquette. General values, like being polite to the elderly, treating women with respect and behaving well in front of your boss, apply here as well. Common norms are not too strict, but there are some that you should keep in mind if you don't want to look stupid or ignorant.
The first thing that you can do to feel at home is to learn at least some basic Hungarian. It will be a big help in all spheres of your life, from shopping to travelling, and it will make it much easier to get to know new people as well. You can learn it at home or through a language course like those provided by Magyar Iskola and Balassi Int茅zet. Even in 2026, where translation apps are seamless, making the effort to speak the local tongue is viewed as a significant gesture of respect that can fast-track friendship. Little Britain provides English lessons for locals as well as expats coming from non-English-speaking countries. It also organises events where you can improve your English skills.
When greeting people for the first time, just introduce yourself and shake hands. If you have a business card, offer them one as well. While digital contacts are common, the physical business card ritual persists in formal sectors. If you speak Hungarian, you have to be careful, as there are two different addressing types in the Hungarian language. There is a formal one, which you might use to unknown people (anyone you are meeting for the first time), to anyone older than you or a superior at your work. This is the same structure as in German (du/Sie) and Spanish (tu/usted). If you get to know someone or if someone suggests you use the other, you can swap to the informal addressing. With young people or with your colleagues, you will use the informal one, and you can often use it at modern workplaces, like startups.
If you are going to a formal meeting or event, dress up well and wear elegant clothes.聽 Most companies are still conservative about it, so for women, suits or nice dresses and for men, dark suits with white shirts and ties are recommended. Again, startups or creative industries are an exception to this 鈥� smart casual is increasingly the standard, and a full suit might actually make you look out of place.
During networking events in Hungary, you can talk about many topics, not just about your work. But questions about politics or someone's political preference, personal finances, or other personal questions like religious views, or sexual orientation, are not recommended. Stick to safe topics like culture, food, travel, or sports for small talk.
It's common to tell stories and anecdotes to lighten up the atmosphere, so share some jokes or funny stories if you can. Always try to make eye contact as well when you talk to someone, as if you don't, it looks like you have something to hide. Honesty is valued over excessive flattery, so do not be afraid to be direct, but remain polite.
It's polite to ask about someone's family if you know the person is married and has children, but not if the person is single. During events in Budapest, try to enjoy yourself. You can have a glass of wine or beer; no one will judge you. What's more, people will look at you if you don't drink, as drinking is so much part of the culture. However, do it moderately, especially if you don't want to hear about the things you did or said while drunk for a year in the office.
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