Convert GBP to HUF Pound sterling ↔ Hungarian forint Free Online Secure
Type an amount in Pound sterling and read it in Hungarian forint at once. The page uses the European Central Bank's reference rate, and tells you which day that rate is from.
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Common amounts — Convert GBP to HUF (Pound sterling ↔ Hungarian forint)
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The last thirty days
Where these codes and rates come from
The three letters in EUR, USD or JPY are not an abbreviation someone invented for a website: they are ISO 4217, a standard in which the first two letters are the country's own code and the third is usually the initial of the currency. The figures on this page come from the European Central Bank, which publishes one set of reference rates each working day, around 16:00 Central European time, agreed between the central banks of the Eurosystem. They are a daily snapshot meant for statistics and accounting, not a live trading feed — which is exactly why they are the same number for everyone, rather than whatever one bank happened to quote at one moment.
Where you meet an exchange rate
You meet an exchange rate four or five times a year without thinking about it: booking a trip, paying an invoice issued abroad, buying from a foreign shop, reading a salary offer in another currency, or checking what a card charge really cost. In all of these the reference rate is the honest middle, and the price you actually pay sits a little to one side of it. Knowing the middle is what lets you see how wide that margin is.
Questions people ask
Is this the rate my bank will give me?
No, and no page can promise one. This is the European Central Bank's reference rate: the midpoint published once a day for statistics. A bank, a card scheme or an exchange office adds its own margin on top — usually between half a percent and three percent, sometimes more at an airport counter. Use this figure to judge the offer you are given, not to predict it.
How often does the figure change, and what happens at weekends?
The European Central Bank publishes once each working day, in the afternoon, Central European time. There is no publication on Saturdays, Sundays or TARGET holidays, so on those days the page shows the last working day's rate and says which day it belongs to. The chart alongside is one year of the same daily series.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
Two banks, one bridge: Buda and Pest priced in forint and read in pounds
The Danube divides Budapest into two halves with different characters. On the western bank, Buda is hilly and quiet, crowned by a castle and a church. On the eastern bank, Pest is flat and lively, full of cafés, markets, theatres and bars. The two have been joined since 1849 by the Chain Bridge, designed by an English engineer, William Tierney Clark, and built under the supervision of a Scot, Adam Clark, who stayed on in Hungary for the rest of his life. A British visitor therefore has a small reason to feel at home. Prices, however, are in forint, a currency with large numbers and no small change, and the question is always what a pound buys. This page answers it. It takes the European Central Bank's reference rates, in which the pound and the forint are each quoted against the euro, combines them into a pound-to-forint rate and shows the date beside the result. Your amount stays in your browser. The text below crosses the river and explores both banks, finding a reason to Convert GBP to HUF at each step.
Using the converter
Pounds in, forint out
Type an amount in pounds sterling and the page shows its value in Hungarian forint, with the date of the rate beneath it. At weekends the page says that it uses Friday's figure. A table of round amounts and a thirty-day line complete it. For the opposite direction, from forint into pounds, use Convert HUF to GBP.
Why the numbers look large
Because the numbers look large, it helps to Convert GBP to HUF for a typical coffee, a typical lunch and a typical hotel night, and keep those three figures in mind.
The forint is a low-value unit, so everyday prices are in hundreds and thousands, and the totals for a trip run into six figures. A coffee costs a four-digit number, a restaurant meal a five-digit one. This is normal, and it is a good reason to check the result with the converter before you accept a price or a bill. The fillér, the hundredth part of a forint, no longer exists in practice, and coins start at five forint. Cash totals are rounded to the nearest five.
The Pest side: markets, cafés and the grand boulevards
The Great Market Hall
At the stall, Convert GBP to HUF for the bag of paprika before you reach the till, and you will not be surprised by the sum.
Pest's Great Market Hall, built in 1897 and topped with colourful Zsolnay tiles, sells paprika, sausages, cheeses, embroidered linen and fruit brandy. Stalls on the upper floor serve lángos, deep-fried dough with sour cream and cheese, at prices that make a filling snack affordable. Paprika in small bags is the classic souvenir. Compare the price per bag among stalls, because the same product is sold at very different prices on different counters. A quick Convert GBP to HUF for the one you choose tells you what you paid in pounds.
Cafés with history
For a coffee and cake in a grand café, Convert GBP to HUF and decide whether the setting is worth the premium.
The New York Café, opened in 1894, claims to be the most beautiful in the world, and it charges accordingly. A coffee and cake can cost several thousand forint. Smaller cafés on the side streets of the Jewish Quarter charge half that. The gap between the two is a lesson in paying for atmosphere, and a visitor can make the decision with the numbers in front of them.
A word about service charge
Many restaurants in central Budapest add a service charge of ten to twelve and a half per cent to the bill. It is printed on the menu or the receipt. If it is already there, you need not leave a further tip, though many people round up. If it is not, a tip of ten per cent is customary. Check the bill before paying, because mistakes and duplicate charges are known in tourist areas.
The Buda side: castle, hills and thermal springs
Castle Hill and the Fisherman's Bastion
Add up the church, the bastion and the funicular, and then Convert GBP to HUF for the whole outing, not for each ticket.
Buda Castle, the Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion crown the western bank. Walking around the hill is free, while entry to the church, the bastion's upper terraces and the museums costs from 1,000 to 4,000 forint. A funicular railway climbs from the Chain Bridge, with a return ticket priced at around 2,000 forint. The views over the river and Parliament are worth the effort, and sunset is the best hour.
Thermal baths
Budapest sits on top of more than a hundred thermal springs, and its baths are one of the main attractions. The Gellért, opened in 1918, is known for its Art Nouveau interior. The Széchenyi, in the City Park, opened in 1913 and is the largest medicinal bath in Europe. Entry costs between 12,000 and 14,000 forint at weekends, with a cabin or locker adding to the price. A visitor who goes in the evening, or on a weekday morning, often finds shorter queues. Convert GBP to HUF for the ticket you plan to buy, and add a towel, a locker and a drink.
Rudas and the old Turkish bath
The Rudas Baths date from the sixteenth century, when Hungary was under Ottoman rule, and keep their original domed pool. On certain days the bath is for men, on others for women, and at weekends for all. Check the timetable before you go.
Crossing the river: trams, metro and ferries
Public transport that is easy on the budget
A travel card is priced in forint, so Convert GBP to HUF and divide by the number of rides to see whether it pays off.
Budapest has the oldest underground railway on the European continent, the yellow M1 line, opened in 1896. Single tickets cost a few hundred forint, and a 24-hour or 72-hour travel card is a better value for visitors. Trams along the Danube, especially line 2, give a good view of the river for the price of a ticket. Validate your ticket before boarding, because inspectors are common and fines are heavy.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Use licensed taxis, ordered by phone or app, instead of hailing one in the street. Prices should be shown in advance, and a ride across the centre costs a few thousand forint. Airport transfers have fixed fares. When you Convert GBP to HUF for a fare, take the quoted price rather than the meter, because a few operators in tourist areas have been known to overcharge.
Eating and drinking by the Danube
Goulash, paprikash and langos
A set lunch of soup, main and dessert is easy to price: Convert GBP to HUF for the menu total, and add the drink.
Hungarian food is hearty: goulash soup, chicken paprikash with dumplings, stuffed cabbage, fried cheese and strudel. A main course in a decent restaurant costs between 4,000 and 8,000 forint, with soup and dessert extra. A menu of the day at lunch is often much cheaper. Wine is good and inexpensive, with Tokaji, the sweet wine, and Egri Bikavér, the red blend known as Bull's Blood, among the best-known.
Ruin pubs
Take a group of four, Convert GBP to HUF for a round of beers and you will understand why the bars are crowded.
Budapest's ruin bars, set in abandoned buildings and courtyards, began with Szimpla Kert in 2002 and have become a hallmark of the city. They are eclectic, filled with old furniture, and cheap. A beer costs from 1,000 to 1,500 forint. On busy nights, queues form early, and some places charge a small entry fee.
Pálinka and the local spirits
Pálinka, a fruit brandy, is the Hungarian national spirit. A shot in a bar costs from 800 to 2,000 forint, and bottles from a specialist shop begin around 5,000. Allowances for bringing spirits back to Britain are limited, so keep the duty-free rules in mind.
Money in practice: cash, cards and exchange offices
Cards are everywhere, cash still helps
Decide your daily cash limit in advance: Convert GBP to HUF for it, withdraw once, and keep the rest on the card.
Cards are accepted at nearly all shops, restaurants and transport machines. A contactless card without foreign-transaction fees is the best companion. Keep a small amount of forint for markets, public toilets and tips. Cash machines inside banks are safer than those on the street.
The exchange-office problem
Budapest is notorious for exchange offices that advertise a tempting rate, then take a hidden commission, or give back fewer notes than promised. Avoid anything that looks too good to be true. Use bank branches and cash machines, and decline when a machine offers to convert the amount into pounds. If you do exchange cash, ask for the total in forint in writing before handing anything over.
Large denominations
Forint notes run from 500 to 20,000. A 20,000-forint note is large and shops may hesitate to break it, so change big notes at supermarkets. Count the zeros carefully, because mistaking a 2,000 note for a 20,000 one is a classic error.
The forint and its moods
Why the forint moves
The forint floats freely against the euro and is more volatile than the pound. Hungarian inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and relations with the European Union have all moved it, sometimes sharply. A strong forint makes Hungary dearer for British visitors, and a weak one makes it cheaper, but the swings can be large within weeks. That is why people planning a bigger purchase in Hungary look at the thirty-day line on this page.
Hungary and the euro
Hungary is a member of the European Union but has not adopted the euro and has no firm date to do so. Most large transactions, such as property, are often quoted in euros, though the contract may be in forint. If you are buying or renting in Hungary, ask which currency applies, and Convert GBP to HUF for the forint amount as well as converting the euro price.
A habit for the careful
Pick a fixed day for regular transfers, record the effective rate, and review it twice a year. The habit costs a minute a month and removes most of the stress of a volatile currency.
Three days in Budapest, budgeted in forint and totalled in pounds
Day one: Pest on foot
It takes a few seconds to Convert GBP to HUF for each item, and the habit protects your plans from surprises.
The morning begins with coffee and pastry in a café on Andrássy Avenue, perhaps 3,000 forint for two. A walk to Heroes' Square and the City Park follows, then an afternoon in the Széchenyi Baths, about 14,000 forint a person on a weekend. Dinner in a restaurant in the Jewish Quarter, with two courses, a bottle of local wine and service, costs about 30,000 forint for two. The total for the day, before accommodation and transport, is around 60,000 forint. A quick Convert GBP to HUF puts that into sterling.
Day two: Buda on the hill
Take the tram or the funicular up to the castle district. Entry to the Matthias Church and the Fisherman's Bastion adds up to about 5,000 forint for two, and a museum visit another 4,000 to 6,000. Lunch at a bistro on the hill, with a main course each and a drink, runs to around 15,000. In the evening, a boat cruise on the Danube with a drink costs between 6,000 and 10,000 per person. This day comes to around 50,000 forint for two.
The cost of a river cruise
Evening cruises vary hugely in price and quality. Short sightseeing trips with a glass of wine are cheap; dinner cruises with live music cost several times more and are not always better. Read the reviews, check what is included, and avoid touts selling tickets on the quay.
Day three: markets and a day trip
Spend the morning in the Great Market Hall buying paprika and cheese for friends, perhaps 8,000 forint in all. In the afternoon, take a train to Szentendre, an artists' town on the Danube about forty minutes north, where a return ticket costs a few thousand forint and a meal in a café another 8,000 or so. Return in the evening for a ruin pub and a last pálinka. This day costs some 35,000 forint for two.
The total
Adding the three days gives about 145,000 forint for two for sightseeing, food and drink. Add accommodation, perhaps 60,000 to 120,000 for three nights in a good hotel, and transport from the airport. Convert GBP to HUF for the total and you have your budget, with a margin of ten per cent for unexpected expenses, typically shared taxis or an extra round of drinks.
A checklist before you pay in forint
Know the total before the bill arrives
At a restaurant, ask whether the service charge is included. At a hotel, ask about the city tax and any resort fees. At a museum, ask about discounts for students, seniors or groups. Each of these questions takes a few seconds and can shift the total by ten per cent or more.
Keep an eye on the card receipt
When the card machine shows an amount, check that it matches the bill and that the currency is forint. Do not allow the waiter to take the card out of your sight. Keep the slip, and compare it with your statement a few days later.
Use the reference rate as a ruler
At the end of each day, divide your total spending by the exchange rate on this page. The result should match your statement within the margin of your bank's fees. If it does not, look for hidden charges.
Britons and Hungarians: work, study and family
Hungarians in Britain
A family that sends money regularly can Convert GBP to HUF every month and compare the figure with what the recipient sees.
Tens of thousands of Hungarians live in Britain, working in healthcare, hospitality, engineering and technology. Many send money home to family. For them, the monthly question is how many forint arrive for a given sum in pounds. The best answer is to compare services against the reference rate shown here.
Britons in Hungary
Some British people live in Budapest as English teachers, remote workers or retirees. Their incomes are in pounds, and their expenses are in forint. A few choose to hold a forint account for rent and utilities, topped up monthly. They typically Convert GBP to HUF at the start of the month and record the rate used.
Studying in Hungary
For a multi-year course, Convert GBP to HUF for each instalment and review the plan twice a year.
Medical schools in Budapest, Debrecen and Szeged attract students from Britain and elsewhere, with courses taught in English. Fees are in euros or forint, depending on the programme. A family planning for six years of study should build a budget with a safety margin for exchange-rate moves.
Related conversions
Currencies in the same neighbourhood
If your trip continues, Convert GBP to CZK covers Prague, Convert GBP to PLN covers Poland and Convert GBP to RON Romania. The euro, used in neighbouring Austria and Slovakia, has Convert GBP to EUR and Convert EUR to HUF. For the dollar, there is Convert USD to HUF.
Time, distance and temperature
Hungary is one hour ahead of Britain all year; Convert GMT to CET confirms it. Road signs show kilometres, and Convert km to mi translates them. Summer temperatures can reach the mid-thirties Celsius, and Convert °C to °F turns the forecast into Fahrenheit.
Mistakes to avoid
The terminal's offer
When a card machine in Budapest offers to charge you in pounds, say no. Choose forint and let your bank do the conversion.
Mixing up the zeros
With forint, it is easy to misplace a zero. Check twice, especially at exchange counters and cash machines.
An out-of-date rate
A rate noted last month may be several per cent away from today's. The date beside the result protects you.
Evening on the Danube
The page downloads only the table of daily reference rates. The amount you type never leaves your device, and no account is needed. On either bank of the river the habit is the same: Convert GBP to HUF, read the date, compare any offer against the figure and keep the note. Then cross the bridge and enjoy the view.