Market Research Companies in Budapest

Key figures for researchers

Population

1,675,777 (1 January 2026)¹

Pest county (around the capital)

1,338,870 residents (1 January 2026), against 1,071,898 in 2001¹

Official geography

23 districts over 525 km², 3,209.2 people per km² (1 January 2025)²

Ageing

ageing index 172.9 people aged 65+ per 100 children (Hungary 147.8); old-age dependency ratio 31.1 (2026)³

Births and deaths

6.9 live births and 11.8 deaths per 1,000 people (2025)⁴

Education

44% of the working-age population have a higher education degree (2022 census)⁵

Families

17% of households include a child under 15, against 28% in Pest county (2022 census)⁵

Housing

21% of Hungary’s dwellings are in Budapest (2022 census)⁶

Foreign citizens

18,472 moved to Budapest and 22,632 left in 2025⁷

Economy

GDP per capita 219.0% of the Hungarian average and 168.0% of the EU average in PPS (2023, preliminary)⁸

Research guide

Research landscape

Budapest is the main business centre of Hungary and the base of most full-service agencies, qualitative and B2B specialists, healthcare firms, CATI studios, field networks and online panel providers working in the country. Some studies covering Central and Eastern Europe are also coordinated from Budapest.

The capital is much richer than the rest of Hungary: in 2023, GDP per capita was 219.0% of the national average and 168.0% of the EU average in purchasing power standards. A Budapest sample should therefore not be used to represent Hungary.

Who you will interview

On 1 January 2026, Budapest had 1,675,777 residents, against 1,759,209 in 2001. Over the same period, Pest county, which surrounds the capital, grew from 1,071,898 to 1,338,870 residents. Say whether your target is residents of the city, of the wider metropolitan area, or people who work in Budapest.

The city is older than the country: in 2026, the ageing index was 172.9 people aged 65 and over per 100 children, against 147.8 for Hungary, and in 2025 Budapest recorded 6.9 live births and 11.8 deaths per 1,000 people. Only 17% of households include a child under 15, against 28% in Pest county, so family studies may need to include the agglomeration. Budapest is also highly educated: 44% of the working-age population have a higher education degree.

Fieldwork in practice

Budapest is divided into 23 districts (kerületek), numbered with Roman numerals, over 525 km², with 3,209.2 people per km² in 2025. The Danube splits the city into Buda, on the hilly west bank, and Pest, on the flat east bank; Csepel district lies on an island in the river. Sampling or quotas by district, and by Buda and Pest, help control the spread of interviews between the centre and the outskirts.

Budapest holds 21% of Hungary’s dwellings. Online and telephone interviews are the usual methods for consumer surveys, with face-to-face interviews for older or offline residents. Hungarian is the fieldwork language; foreign residents come and go: 18,472 foreign citizens moved to Budapest in 2025 and 22,632 left.

Focus groups and qualitative research

In-person groups are usually held in dedicated studios with a one-way mirror and video streaming. Groups are moderated in Hungarian; ask whether the agency provides simultaneous translation for international observers, and moderators in English for expatriate or B2B targets.

When recruiting in outer districts or in Pest county, check travel time to the studio, especially for evening groups. Online communities and video interviews are often used alongside in-person groups.

Timing

In the 2026/2027 school year, classes run from 1 September 2026 to 18 June 2027. The last teaching day before the autumn break is 22 October 2026 and classes resume on 2 November 2026; before the winter break, 18 December 2026, with classes resuming on 4 January 2027; before the spring break, 24 March 2027, with classes resuming on 5 April 2027. The summer holidays start after 18 June 2027.

The Sziget festival, held on an island in the Danube, takes place from 10 to 14 August 2027. It is a busy week for the city: it suits visitor studies, but avoid it for resident fieldwork. Check national public holidays, including 20 August, in the Hungary guide.

Working with a Budapest agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, districts, method, languages and deadline.
• Say whether the target is Budapest residents only or the wider area including Pest county.
• Ask how quotas by district, by Buda and Pest, and by age are set, and how older residents are reached.
• For focus groups, ask for the studio address, public transport access, viewing room capacity, streaming and translation options and incentive levels.
• Check fieldwork dates against the school breaks, the summer holidays, Sziget week and public holidays.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 Budapest companies from this page.

National rules (data protection, holidays, sampling across regions) are covered in our guide to market research in Hungary.