Tonymol

Hi all, could a couple live comfortable on £600 per month in a typical village?

fidobsa

Yes, assuming you start with a house in good condition that does not require renovation. Finding such a place is easier said than done. A lot have underlying defects that you may not find during a normal viewing.

Tonymol

Thanks, I've found a place that looks ok but hasn't been lived in for two years. It's not built in the old traditional way and looks pretty good. Down side is the huge overgrown garden and the inside needs a good lick of paint. Unfortunately the owner was in Budapest and we couldn't meet! It's a few miles outside Szombathely and I'm still waiting for him to email me details, price etc.

mawood47

Welcome to forum Yes this amount is good I have just maid payments for this year's utility bills e.one electricity 48,680fh. Water 26.200fh locale C/tax 6,000fh. Food cost are lower than UK so enjoy your retirement digger47

fidobsa

For the garden you should read the ragweed thread (if it still exists). Complying with the ragweed control regulations for me is a huge task and I don't even manage to comply with the letter of the regs although I do manage to keep the ragweed under control. Remember that the winters are cold here so is there a heating system, insulation, full double glazing etc? Other things to expect are rotten floors, dodgy plumbing and electrics, a roof space that fills up with snow during winter blizzards and chimneys that don't draw very well so your wood burning stove (should you use one) sometimes fills the house with smoke.

Not trying to put you off but you should be aware that poor quality housing is the norm in Hungary and you should factor that into your budget calculations.

duztee

Simple answer from one who is retired, is Yes.

As per the other comments, choose a house in reasonable condition.
Decorating and gardening you will have plenty of time for, and will probably be glad of these chores to fill your time. Hungary is generally a relaxed and quiet place so it is good to have jobs around the house to keep you occupied.

If you choose a very rural village, check the shop situation, medical facilities etc.

Good Luck and welcome aboard.

FenTiger

You might find this useful
http://britishexpats.com/forum/hunga...living-859839/

FenTiger

Did you (Tonymol) move to Hungary? And are you managing on £600 per month? I'm curious because my Hungarian wife asked her mother today about the cost of living in Hungary and how much we could live on comfortably. My wife's mother reckoned we'd need £1,250 per month although their own pension is less than half that but they do grow their own vegetables, have one huge apple tree, lots of plum trees, two walnut trees, etc. If they have any surplus they barter it with other neighbours for things they don't have, i.e. eggs!

For myself considering retiring early is a major decision because the difference between my pension if I retire now instead of three and half years time is about £4,000 per year! That's a huge amount.

FenTiger

LOL - My Hungarian wife has just told me I misunderstood what she had told me. She actually said that we could live comfortably on £750 per month!

fidobsa

The average net salary in Hungary is about £421 per month and there will be plenty of people on wages below the average. I live on the rental income of my house in UK. My net income is about the same as someone in Hungary working full time in a cafe or shop.
I don't actually manage on that amount but I could if I was not buying things like new windows, kitchen units, central heating systems etc etc.