Traveling to Hungary and looking for the best way to stay connected? Avoid high roaming charges and slow overseas data roaming plans by either buying a local prepaid sim card in Hungary or simply getting an e-sim card for Hungary online. This is the ultimate guide for finding the best way to stay connected when traveling to Hungary.
Find out everything about buying a prepaid sim card in Hungary, the best e-sim cards for Hungary, where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per August 2023, the best 4G/5G network in Hungary, my recommendation, info about EU roaming, international sim cards and more.
Getting connected is the first thing I do when getting to a new country. Depending on the length of my trip that means either buying a local prepaid sim card or quickly ordering an e-sim card online. As I am aiming to visit every country in the world I have been to a lot of places around the world. Therefore on Traveltomtom you can find already more than 200 sim card guides: USA, Canada, Asia, Mexico, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Europe, Italy, UK, Turkey, Israel, Colombia, Peru and many more.
Arriving at Budapest Airport? Check my guide for buying a sim card at Budapest Airport. Not cheap, but the fastest and most convenient place to buy a sim card in Hungary. But I can already tell you that e-sim cards are much cheaper for staying connected when traveling to Hungary.
RELATED: 15 Best Places to Visit in Hungary in 2023.
Rent a car and get to see some amazing places around the country!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends a Yettel sim card for Hungary. Yettel has the strongest 4G/5G mobile data network in Hungary in 2023 and also offers the best prepaid sim card plan for tourists. For around $10 USD you get a 5 GB data-only sim card.
A great alternative are e-sim cards and they are actually the cheapest way to stay connected when traveling to Hungary. They already start from $4.5 USD and for $22 USD you get 10 GB data and this e-sim works on the Yettel network.
Traveltomtom also recommends global travel sim card with data. Especially if you are visiting several different countries on your trip to Europe. Check out my list of the best international sim cards for traveling in 2023 or if you travel just to Europe go check out my comparison of the best Europe travel sim cards for 2023.
Best e-sim cards for Hungary
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Hungary in 2023 is an e-sim card. You arrange everything online and it takes just a couple minutes. No more swapping sim cards or visiting a sim card shop. Order online, process the payment, receive a QR code, scan it with your phone, follow the steps and you are all set in no time and connected.
Check out the following Hungary e-sim card plans:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $7.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $9.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $13.5 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $22 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $36 USD
Click here to order an e-sim card for Hungary directly online.
The above e-sim cards for Hungary from Szia! are data-only and only valid in Hungary. Szia! e-sim cards operate on the Yettel (former Telenor) 4G/LTE network in Hungary.
There are also e-sim cards for traveling in Hungary that allow making phone calls and texting. They come with a phone number and are valid in all of Europe and up to 70 countries around the world:
- 10 GB data + $2 calling credit for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 8 GB + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 20 GB + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Order an international e-sim card for traveling in Hungary directly through this link.
Please make sure that your phone is unlocked and e-sim compatible before ordering an e-sim card for Hungary.
If your phone is not e-sim compatible then there still is the option to order a sim card for Hungary online. Get yourself a physical prepaid sim card delivered to your home address before your trip to Hungary. For $24.90 USD you get an international sim card with 10 GB + unlimited calls valid in all of Europe. Click here to order an international sim card for Hungary online, get more info and see all the offers.
Hungary sim cards and EU roaming
As Hungary is part of the EU there are no roaming costs for Hungary sim cards when traveling onwards in Europe. Also the other way around if you have a sim card from France for example then you can freely use your data plan from your France sim card while traveling in Hungary.
But be aware that this often does NOT apply to Eastern European countries. Prepaid sim cards from countries like Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia do NOT include free EU roaming, so be careful when buying a local prepaid sim card in Europe.
So when buying a prepaid sim card in Hungary always ask the provider for the EU roaming limitations.
Find out more info about EU roaming, brexit, EU roaming in Swtizerland, etc in my guide for buying a local prepaid sim card on arrival in Europe. Or to avoid all this simply buy a sim card for traveling in Europe on the internet. There are prepaid as well as e-sim card versions available.
Hungary is an amazing country with some beautiful places to visit. After traveling around the country for a couple weeks I came up with the ultimate Hungary Itinerary including all the best places to visit.
Why buying a sim card in Hungary?
First of all because wasting money on expensive roaming costs is stupid. Staying connected while traveling to Hungary makes life so much easier. Order a taxi through an app, receiving a video call from your family at any given time, use Google Maps for directions, find nearby restaurants, bars, friends, etc. There are a ton of reasons to get a working data connection on your phone when traveling to Hungary.
Even though your hotel has free WiFi and also most restaurants and bars provided free WiFi. But what if it is slow and what about the unsecured network? Simply don't rely on others, buying a prepaid or e-sim card for traveling in Hungary is fast and easy.
Rather getting WiFi on the road and NOT change sim cards? A pocket WiFi could be the solution. Check out my honest review of these portable WiFi devices and I tell you everything you need to know about pocket WiFi devices.
Mobile internet operators Hungary
There are 3 main mobile internet providers in Hungary: Vodafone, T-Mobile and Yettel. All of them sell prepaid sim cards for tourists, but only the prepaid sim card versions, no e-sim cards yet. E-sim cards for Hungary can only be bought on the internet.
Where to buy a sim card for Hungary
Budapest Airport
The most convenient place to buy a sim card in Hungary would of course be directly on arrival at Budapest Airport. Yes, there is a sim card store, but is it worth it? Well, it is expensive! Check out my guide for buying a sim card at Budapest Airport for more info. Trust me e-sim cards for Hungary are cheaper.
Mobile internet retail stores
There are multiple mobile internet provider stores in Budapest city center as well as in other tourist destinations in Hungary. The easiest way to find your preferred sim card shop is through Google Maps. Go to the search bar and type in for example 'Vodafone' and Google Maps will show you the nearest Vodafone stores.
At the official retail stores you will get the best service, the best prepaid sim card offers and the staff will make sure everything is set up and the data on your phone works instantly.
Gas stations and convenience stores
Yes, you can also buy a prepaid sim card package at gas stations and the bigger convenience stores but you will need to do the registration by yourself online or go to an official retail store to activate your prepaid sim card. Therefore, Traveltomtom does not recommend buying a Hungary sim card at a convenience store.
Online
As I mentioned a couple times already the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Hungary is by ordering a sim card for Hungary on the internet. No more visiting a sim card shop on arrival in Hungary. The fastest way is an e-sim card for Hungary but international prepaid sim cards that will be shipped to your home address before your trip also work perfect.
Registration process
For buying a prepaid sim card in Hungary you need a photo ID or a passport. Your new Hungary sim card will be registered on your name and your passport number. You will receive a sim card with a new phone number starting with +36.
If you want to avoid this registration then order a sim card for Hungary on the internet. Prepaid international sim cards as well as e-sim cards for Hungary do not need a passport registration, just your email will do.
Best 4G/5G network in Hungary in 2023
The best prepaid sim card in Hungary is not only determined by the prices for prepaid sim cards and the available data plans for tourists. What about going on a Hungary road trip and as soon as you leave Budapest you loose connection? A strong 4G/5G network is just as important and even when going off the beaten path in Hungary we want to find a phone signal.
Therefore I compared the 4G/5G network coverage maps of the mobile internet providers in Hungary to find the best 4G/5G network in Hungary in 2023.
Is there 5G in Hungary?
Yes, there is a pretty decent 5G network in Hungary as of 2023. Almost all the famous tourist destinations in Hungary have a 5G signal. Check the below network coverage maps to find out which provider has the best 5G network in Hungary in 2023.
Yettel Hungary 4G/5G network map
Vodafone Hungary 4G/5G network map
Telekom Hungary 4G/5G network map
From what we can see from the above Hungary coverage maps is that Vodafone has the smallest network. However, Vodafone still has a very strong 4G/5G network coverage in Hungary. Basically all the mobile internet providers in Hungary have an excellent 4G/5G mobile network and cover the best places to visit in Hungary.
It is a very close call to determine which mobile internet provider has the best 4G/5G network in Hungary in 2023. In Eastern Hungary Telekom has the best 4G/5G network and in Western Hungary Yettel has the best 4g/5G network.
Prices Hungary prepaid sim cards in 2023
The info and prices below are updated as per August 2023. Prices are in Hungarian Forint: $1 USD = 355 HUF and 1,000 HUF = $2.8 USD
Yettel Hungary
They have relatively small data packages for Hungary sim cards but at least all the data and minutes are valid in the EU.
- 1 GB + 50 min = 1,100 HUF - $3.2 USD
- 3 GB + 100 min = 2,500 HUF - $7.2 USD
- 5 GB - data only = 3,300 HUF - $9.5 USD
All Yettel prepaid sim cards for Hungary are valid for 30 days and are valid all over Europe. data and minutes are valid in all of the EU. For more info check the Yettel website.
Vodafone Hungary
There is not much choice either when buying a Vodafone Hungary prepaid sim card. A Vodafone prepaid sim card is free and comes with 100 MB free data. I tried to find out if there are data plans you can top up with but sincerely couldn't. All I could find is a prepaid sim card for Hungary with unlimited data for 30 days:
- unlimited data (30 GB data in EU) + unlimited calls/sms = 11,990 - $34.6 USD
Check the Vodafone Hungary website for more info.
Telekom Hungary
This is the best Telekom prepaid sim card plan for tourists and it is really expensive:
- 1 GB + 80 minutes = 1,990 HUF - $5.7 USD
- Add extra 3.5 GB = 3,500 HUF - $10 USD
This T-Mobile Hungary prepaid sim card is valid for 30 days and valid in all over Europe. For the latest T-Mobile Hungary sim card offers have a look at the T-Mobile website.
Best sim card for Hungary in 2023
Since there is hardly any difference in the 4G/5G network strength of the mobile internet providers in Hungary it comes down to the price for prepaid sim cards. Unfortunately the Telekom and Vodafone Hungary websites provide very little info about data plans to top up the prepaid sim cards.
Traveltomtom can of course only work with the info provided, so sorry Vodafone and Telekom make your website more accessible for prepaid costumers looking for info. If you want a sim card for Hungary with unlimited data then you should buy a Vodafone sim card, but it is not cheap.
A general conclusion is that Hungary prepaid sim cards for tourists are pretty disappointing. Data plans are very small and especially in a time where prepaid sim cards have to compete with e-sim cards I expected better sim card deals.
Therefore Traveltomtom highly recommends e-sim cards for Hungary. However, we rate Yettel as the best sim card for Hungary in 2023. For around $10 USD you will get a prepaid sim card with 5 GB data. Unfortunately calling minutes are not included.
If you are traveling to Europe and visiting more countries than just Hungary then you are better off with an sim card that is valid in all of Europe. You can easily buy them on the internet. Check out my list of the best prepaid and e-sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2023.
Buy a sim card for Hungary online
Especially if your smartphone is not e-sim compatible and buying a sim card in Hungary on arrival sounds like too much effort and hassle then check out buying an international prepaid sim card for Hungary on the internet. Order online and get a pre-activated sim card delivered to your home address before your trip.
Check out the following international sim cards for Hungary:
Three Data Pack 10 GB - $24.90
- 10 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe and UK
- Valid 30 days
Orange Holiday ZEN - $29.90
- 8 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe and UK
- Valid 14 days
Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 20 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe and UK
- 120 minutes worldwide
- 1,000 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
Three PAYG MBB 12 GB - $59.90
- 12 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Valid for 1 year
Three PAYG MBB 24 GB - $79.90
- 24 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Valid for 2 years
Click here to order an international sim card for traveling in Hungary directly online.
Personally I can recommend the Orange Holiday Europe. I have used it multiple times for traveling to Europe without any problems. Nowadays I get the e-sim card version of this Europe sim card.
A last reminder that if your phone is e-sim compatible you can order a data-only e-sim card for Hungary through Airalo and an international e-sim card for traveling in Hungary through SimOptions.
I am sure some of above tips for buying a sim card for Hungary were helpful. If you have any additional questions please leave me a comment or reach out to me on social media and I am more than happy to help you out.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of July 2023 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Hungary!
Some links in this article about the best way to stay connected when traveling to Hungary are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. Don’t worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you.