Cash
Carry some forint for markets, tips, smaller cafés and the first transport ticket. Budapest and larger towns are fairly card-friendly, so you rarely need a large cash float — keep an emergency amount separate from daily spending.
HUFHungary
Hungarian forint — Hungary’s currency
The Hungarian Forint (HUF, Ft) is the currency used in Hungary — Budapest and across the country. Convert pounds to forint with an indicative GBP/HUF rate, then see cash, card, ATM and buying notes for a trip — Wayfare does not sell forint.
1 GBP = 470.00 HUF1 HUF = 0.0021 GBP· Demo data
Currency Converter
Demo dataSample rate1 GBP = 470.00 HUF
Indicative sample rates for demonstration — not live market data.
Quick conversions
Pounds to hungarian forint
Tap an amount to fill the converter.
Exchange rate
GBP to HUF
Indicative rates for travel planning — not dealing quotes.
Demo data
GBP → HUF
1 GBP
470.00 HUF
1 HUF
0.0021 GBP
EUR/HUF1 EUR = 403.71 HUF
USD/HUF1 USD = 347.89 HUF
Indicative sample rates for demonstration — not live market data.
Plan
Travel budget calculator
A simple estimate of trip spend in pounds and hungarian forint. Not an official recommended budget — the travel money planner is the full trip-planning product.
Demo data
Total GBP
£1,400.00
Estimated HUF
Ft 658,000
Estimate only — using demo data. Actual rates and fees can vary by provider, so the amount you actually spend can differ. For a cash versus card split, open the travel money planner.
Travel money
Travel money in Hungary
Practical choices for cash, cards, ATMs and exchange when you're using hungarian forint.
Cards
Hotels, restaurants, shops and transport in Hungarian cities commonly take contactless and chip-and-PIN. Check your card’s foreign-transaction fees. Away from the centre, have forint ready rather than assuming a terminal will work. Sketch a cash-versus-card split on the travel money planner if you want a fuller trip budget.
ATMs
Cash machines are common in Budapest, at the airport and in Hungarian towns. Withdraw forint when you need it. Some operators add a fee on screen — this page does not assume a standard Hungarian ATM charge. Use the ATM withdrawal calculator if you want a rough cost before you travel.
Buying and exchanging forint
You can buy Hungarian forint at a UK bank or bureau before you fly, or exchange at an office once you arrive in Budapest. Banks, bureaux and airport desks set their own rates, fees and stock — Wayfare does not sell notes or list shops near you. Compare how many Ft you would receive for a set pound amount after any commission, then use the Travel Money hub for a fuller buying checklist.
Dynamic currency conversion
If a Hungarian ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in pounds rather than forint, the operator is applying its own conversion (DCC). Choosing HUF usually keeps the clearer total. Compare the on-screen figures before you confirm — neither path is always cheaper.
Fees and denominations
Notes commonly seen are 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 Ft; coins are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Ft. Providers earn through a rate margin, a fee, or both. This page does not list bank-specific charges. Browse other published currencies in the currency explorer if your trip uses more than forint.
Plan a trip budgetEstimate an ATM withdrawalHow to buy travel money
Facts
Hungarian Forint at a glance
Code, symbol and where HUF is used.
- Currency
- Hungarian Forint
- Code
- HUF
- Symbol
- Ft
- Used in
- Hungary
- Decimal places
- 2
Guide
About the Hungarian Forint
Key facts about HUF, how its rate is set and how to read a quote.
What is the Hungarian Forint?
The Hungarian Forint is Hungary’s official currency, issued by the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (Hungarian National Bank). Its ISO code is HUF and the symbol is Ft. Because a single forint is a small unit, everyday prices carry large numbers — that is normal until you convert them into pounds.
Hungary uses the forint, not the euro: it is in the European Union but has not adopted the euro, so day-to-day prices in Budapest and the rest of the country are in forint. A hotel or tour desk may also show a pound or euro figure as a convenience quote; that is not a second official currency.
What currency is used in Budapest?
Budapest uses the Hungarian Forint, the same as the rest of Hungary — there is no separate Budapest currency. If you are looking up the currency for Budapest or Hungary, the answer is HUF, priced in forint across shops, cafés, transport and hotels.
Cards are widely used in Hungarian cities, so many visitors carry only a little cash. Keep some forint for smaller purchases, markets and gaps, and use a card where terminals work.
How Hungarian Forint exchange rates work
A GBP/HUF exchange rate is how many forint one pound converts into. A figure of 470 means one pound buys about 470 Ft on that quote — the same idea behind searches for a “Hungarian forint exchange rate”. The number on a board is not automatically the amount you receive.
The forint floats, so GBP/HUF and EUR/HUF move with the market. Banks, UK bureaux, Hungarian desks and cards usually add a margin, a fee, or both, which is why the same GBP→HUF request differs between providers. Compare the total Ft you would actually get for a round sum such as £100 or £500 — not the advertised rate alone. Wayfare does not rank providers or claim a best rate.
Figures in the converter are indicative so you can see the arithmetic. They are not a dealing quote. A bureau or card will use its own number.
Reading GBP/HUF, EUR/HUF and USD/HUF
Pairs are written base-first. In GBP/HUF the pound is the base, so the number is how many forint one pound buys: a sample rate of 470 means £1 ≈ 470 Ft. EUR/HUF is how many forint one euro buys; USD/HUF is how many one US dollar buys. The figures look large because a single forint is a small unit.
To convert pounds, multiply by the GBP/HUF rate (£100 × 470 = 47,000 Ft on this demo figure). To go back, divide forint by the same rate. Use the converter on this page — or the dedicated currency converter — to try other amounts. The result is indicative only.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to common questions about the Hungarian Forint and converting to it.
What currency does Hungary use?
Hungary uses the Hungarian Forint (HUF), including in Budapest and across the country. It is not the euro. A pound or euro figure on a tourist menu is a convenience quote, not legal tender.
What is the Hungarian Forint, and what is HUF?
The Hungarian Forint is Hungary’s official currency. HUF is its ISO 4217 code and the symbol is Ft. Because the forint is a small unit, everyday prices are written as large numbers.
What currency is used in Budapest?
Budapest uses the Hungarian Forint, the same as the rest of Hungary — there is no separate Budapest currency. Prices, cash and most card charges are in forint.
Does Hungary use the euro?
No. Hungary is in the European Union but has not adopted the euro, so it uses the Hungarian Forint. Some tourist-facing places may quote a euro price for convenience, but you are usually charged in forint.
How do I convert GBP to HUF?
Multiply the pound amount by the GBP/HUF rate. The converter on this page shows an indicative result — not what a bureau or card will pay out. Open the full currency converter if you want to try other published pairs.
How do I convert HUF to GBP?
Divide the forint amount by the GBP/HUF rate, or swap the currencies in the converter on this page. The figure is indicative for planning, not a dealing quote.
Why can Hungarian Forint exchange rates differ between providers?
Each bank, bureau, card or ATM sets its own dealing rate and may add a margin or fee, so the same pound-to-forint request pays out different amounts. Wayfare does not claim a best rate — compare the Ft you would actually receive for a set pound sum, not just the headline rate.
Where can I buy or exchange Hungarian Forint?
Common options are a UK bank or bureau before you travel, or an exchange office once you arrive in Budapest. Stock, hours and fees vary by provider. Wayfare does not sell forint — compare the amount received after charges, and use the Travel Money hub for a buying checklist.
Can I use cards in Hungary?
Cards are widely used across Hungarian cities, from Budapest to larger towns. Check foreign-transaction fees, and keep a little forint for markets and smaller purchases.
Can I withdraw Hungarian Forint from an ATM?
Yes, if your card works abroad. Withdraw HUF, read any fee on screen, and compare a pounds conversion offer carefully before you accept it. Estimate cost first with the ATM withdrawal tool.
Should I choose HUF or GBP at an ATM?
When a machine or terminal offers to charge you in pounds, that is often dynamic currency conversion. Choosing HUF usually keeps the clearer total — compare the on-screen figures before you confirm. Neither option is always cheaper.
How much money do I need for a Hungary trip?
There is no single right amount. Start from daily spend × days, then decide a cash share for markets and tips. Use the travel budget sketch on this page, then the travel money planner for a fuller cash-versus-card plan.
Why can the rate I receive differ from Wayfare’s figure?
Wayfare shows an indicative sample or reference rate for planning. A bank, bureau, card or ATM uses its own dealing rate and may add a margin or fee. Always compare the forint you would actually receive.
Next
Continue with Wayfare tools
Use HUF with the converter, planner and ATM tools, or open another published currency.
Wayfare tools
- Currency converterConvert any published pair with the full converter.
- Travel moneyCash, cards, exchange and fees before you go.
- Travel money plannerPlan a trip budget and cash versus card split.
- ATM withdrawalEstimate local cash and optional fees abroad.
- Currency explorerBrowse published destination currencies.