Job Discussion Forums

keepthepenny · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 8

I will be taking the CELTA at IH Budapest in a few months and am looking for housing. I'm currently in school in the United States so I'm not actually in Budapest yet. The school offers to set up students with accommodations for a reasonable price but I prefer to have more control over my housing situation if possible-- location, etc.

Is it possible to find an apartment for 4-6 weeks in Budapest or are renters generally required to sign a year lease as in the United States? If anyone has any advice, please send it my way! I am particularly curious about general costs I should expect, best places to look, safest neighborhoods for a single female, and any online links you may have up your sleeve!

Thanks a lot!

P.S. I should add that I'm not asking this question "cold", I've been researching this online for several weeks and have found several websites advertising expensive tourist apartments as well as a map of the districts in Budapest, etc. I'm writing in here because I'm looking for an "insider's" view, I suppose.

mourningclam · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 20 Location: sunny korea, again

I did my CELTA at IH in Budapest and opted for their housing. It was cheap. The apartment was pretty big but I think another teacher lives there now. Anyway, they have other places and I think one or two of them may be singles. I wouldnt waste my money and time looking for a tourist place just to be ripped off. As far as location is concerned, Budapest is not that spread out of a city and it's pretty easy to get from one place to another without taking too much time. Go with the IH housing and save the headache. Pmail me if you have any questions.

keepthepenny · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 8

Thanks, mourningclam, I appreciate your response. I will PM you for more details!

BloodyIrish · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 39

one thing about apartments in budapest, if you can at all, try to avoid 'teachers hostels'. the reason i say so, is because a friend of mine is in one. when she moved in there was no mention that it was a hostel at all, and she has her own apartment with her own bathroom kitchen, living room etc ie it is an apartment. but since so much accommodation in budapest is on the black market, the ones who pay taxes at all make up the difference by calling the apartment block a hostel and then charging you every time somebody stays over in your place. the charge is low, but they require your passport number and so on. it all amounts to sexual policing, especially since husbands, wives, brothers and sisters are exempt. i dunno how you can avoid this situation though, but just so youre warned, just in case.

keepthepenny · Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 8

BloodyIrish,

That's really interesting about teacher's hostels, I've never heard of that. So the only thing that makes it a hostel is the fact that she has to pay if someone stays over, not because there are other people in the building... if I end up not taking IH's housing, I will definitely be sure to ask about that before I take a place. Thanks for the heads up!

BloodyIrish · Joined: 08 Sep 2004 Posts: 39

thats pretty much the bones of it...pretty lousy situation, but people seem to tolerate it. im not sure how prevalent it is, to be honest, hopefully not too much so.