---
title: "Living in Miskolc as a digital nomad: cost, safety, visa, internet"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/miskolc
description: "Hungary's northern former steel city by the Bükk hills"
dataset: 2026.11.2 (2026-11-09)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Miskolc, Hungary

Miskolc scores 68.3/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 143 of 1501 cities. Expect about $1,450 per month (country-level estimate), a nomad visa (White Card (digital nomad residence permit)), and a measured median download speed of 57 Mbps.

Miskolc is Hungary's fourth-largest city, a former steel town at the foot of the Bükk hills, with a cave thermal bath at Miskolctapolca, a restored medieval castle at Diósgyőr and a forest railway up to Lillafüred. It is very cheap and green, but parts of the city are run down, there is no airport (Budapest is about two hours away) and English is limited.

Known for: Miskolctapolca cave bath, Lillafüred and Bükk hills, Diósgyőr castle, Former steel city.

## Scores (balanced weights, 0–100)

| Factor | Score |
| --- | --- |
| Overall | 68.3 |
| Cost of living | 56 |
| Safety | 80 |
| Healthcare | 78 |
| Internet | 77 |
| Visa ease | 78 |
| Getting there & around | 42 |
| Climate | 42 |
| Air quality | 82 |
| Quality of life | 81 |

## The numbers behind the scores

| Metric | Value | Level | As of | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,450 | country | 2026-09 | [^2] |
| Central 1-bedroom rent | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Outskirts 1-bedroom rent (basis of the monthly total) | — | city | 2026-09 | [^3] |
| Homicide rate (per 100k) | 0.7 | country | 2024 | [^4] |
| Political stability (0–100) | 74.5 | country | 2025 | [^5] |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 80 | country | 2023 | [^6] |
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.7 | country | 2023 | [^7] |
| Median download (Mbps) | 57 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Median upload (Mbps) | 23.7 | city | 2024 | [^8] |
| Starlink residential service | Available | country | 2026-10 | [^9] |
| Nomad visa | White Card (digital nomad residence permit) (min $3,368/mo) | country | 2026-10-04 | [^10] |
| Visa guide | [Hungary long-stay visa guide](https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/hungary) | country | 2026-10-04 | [^10] |
| Entry for US / EU / UK passports | 90 days / unlimited / 90 days | country | 2026-02 | [^11] |
| Non-stop destinations (BUD/KSC) | 153 | city | 2026-11 | [^12] |
| Restaurants within 3 km of the centre (OpenStreetMap) | 42 | city | 2026-11 | [^16] |
| Walkability / transit (1–5) | 3 / 3 | editorial | 2026-09 | [^13] |
| Comfortable months | 5 of 12 | city | 2001–2020 | [^14] |
| Annual mean PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 13.3 | city | 2023 | [^15] |
| Human Development Index | 0.87 | country | 2023 | [^17] |
| English proficiency band | high | country | 2024 | [^18] |

## Tax on income from abroad

**Residents pay a flat 15% on worldwide income, plus social taxes on pay; foreign pensions are tax-free.** Hungarian tax residents pay a flat 15% income tax on worldwide income, with no local income tax. Salary from a foreign employer usually also carries 18.5% social security and 13% social contribution tax (SZOCHO). Dividends, interest and gains pay 15%, plus 13% SZOCHO unless you are a non-EU national without long-term status. Foreign pensions are tax-free. The White Card has no tax regime, and there is no wealth tax.

| Question | Answer |
| --- | --- |
| How residents are taxed | worldwide income |
| Remote work for foreign clients or employers | taxed (15% flat, plus 18.5% social security and 13% SZOCHO where Hungarian social insurance applies) |
| Investments and pensions from abroad | taxed (15% on dividends, interest, capital gains and rent; 13% SZOCHO on top for many residents; foreign pensions exempt) |
| Wealth | no wealth tax; inheritance tax applies |
| Tax resident after | 183 days a year |
| Top income tax rate | 15% |

Residency: Hungary has two routes. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens become resident once they use their free-movement right in Hungary for at least 183 days in a calendar year (arrival and departure days count as full days). Non-EU nationals without long-term residence status, including White Card and other permit holders, face no day count: you are resident if your only permanent home (a dwelling you have settled into and actually live in) is in Hungary; if you have a permanent home in no country or in several, if your centre of vital interests (closest personal, family and economic ties) is there; and failing both, if your habitual abode is there. Holders of long-term status (national or EU residence card) are resident by that status. So a non-EU nomad who rents a flat in Budapest and gives up their home abroad is normally resident from arrival. Residence can start or end mid-year. If another country also treats you as resident, the treaty tie-breaker (permanent home, vital interests, habitual abode, nationality) decides. Hungary has treaties with more than 80 countries, but none with the United States since 1 January 2024.

Remote work: A resident's salary from a foreign employer and profit from foreign clients are taxed at a flat 15%, with no tax-free allowance and no local income tax. Pay for work physically done in Hungary is Hungarian-source income even when the employer is abroad, and foreign tax charged on it cannot be credited where there is no treaty (the US, for example). With no Hungarian payer you self-assess: advance payments are due by the 12th of the month after each quarter, and the annual return by 20 May. Social insurance: an employee of a foreign company working in Hungary is generally insured in Hungary unless EU coordination rules or a bilateral social security agreement keep them insured elsewhere (proved with an A1 or certificate of coverage). Then 18.5% social security contribution and 13% SZOCHO are due on the salary. A foreign employer not registered in Hungary should register with NAV or appoint a representative; if it does neither, the employee reports and pays both monthly. Third-country nationals posted to Hungary by a foreign employer for up to two years are exempt. Freelancers serving foreign clients usually register as sole traders (egyéni vállalkozó), most of them under the flat-rate regime (see regimes), and also owe municipal business tax of up to 2%. Under a treaty, a resident freelancer's profit is taxed only in Hungary unless they have a fixed base abroad.

Investments: Foreign dividends, interest and share gains are taxed separately from salary at 15%. Tax withheld abroad under a treaty is credited. With no treaty (for example the US since 2024), the credit cannot push Hungarian tax on separately taxed income such as dividends below 5%. On top comes SZOCHO of 13%: on dividends and capital gains only until your income for the year (salary plus these) reaches 24 times the monthly minimum wage, HUF 7,747,200 in 2026, and on interest with no cap. Dividends on shares listed on an EEA regulated market are exempt from SZOCHO, and so is the investment income of people who count as foreign for social insurance (broadly, non-EU nationals without long-term status, such as White Card holders). Interest paid from a non-treaty, non-OECD country and income from low-tax companies count as ordinary income instead. Crypto gains pay 15% with no SZOCHO. Rent from a flat abroad is not taxed in Hungary under a treaty. Rent from Hungarian property pays 15% after a 10% flat cost allowance or actual costs, with no SZOCHO. Gains on Hungarian property are fully taxed in the purchase year and the next, then 90%, 60% and 30% of the gain in the following years, and are tax-free from the fifth year after purchase. Pensions are tax-exempt, including foreign pensions that a treaty defines as pensions (or equivalent foreign pensions where there is no treaty), though a treaty may still let the paying country tax some of them, such as government pensions.

On the nomad visa: The White Card (Fehér Kártya) carries no tax regime of its own: the tax laws do not mention it, and we found no NAV guidance written for holders, so ordinary rules apply. Because holders cannot obtain long-term residence status, the 183-day test does not apply to them. A holder whose only permanent home is the flat they rent in Hungary is a tax resident from arrival and pays 15% on worldwide income, including salary from the foreign employer or profit from their own foreign company, subject to a treaty tie-breaker if they keep a home abroad. Pay for work done in Hungary is Hungarian-source income in any case. Social insurance on that salary (18.5% plus 13% SZOCHO) generally applies unless a social security agreement or EU rule keeps the holder insured elsewhere; the two-year exemption in the law covers employees posted by a foreign employer, and it is unclear whether NAV treats a White Card remote worker as posted. One advantage: as people who count as foreign for social insurance, holders pay no 13% SZOCHO on dividends, gains or interest. The permit bars working for a Hungarian employer or owning a Hungarian company.

Schemes for newcomers:

- **Flat-rate taxation for sole traders (átalányadózás)** (no fixed end): Instead of actual costs, a flat 45% of revenue is deducted (80% or 90% for listed trades and retail), and the first HUF 1,936,800 of deemed income a year (half the annual minimum wage) is free of income tax. The rest pays 15% income tax. Social security of 18.5% and SZOCHO of 13% are charged on the deemed income, but each month on at least the minimum wage (HUF 322,800) or, for work needing a secondary qualification, the guaranteed minimum wage (HUF 373,200). Who qualifies: Sole traders (egyéni vállalkozó) taxed in Hungary, typically EU citizens or permit holders allowed to be self-employed (White Card holders are not), whose revenue in 2026 stays at or below HUF 38,736,000 (10 times the annual minimum wage). Existing sole traders can opt in on their annual return.

Official sources: [Információs füzet 04: Magánszemélyek külföldről származó jövedelme (2026. 02. 20.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/04.-Maganszemelyek-kulfoldrol-szarmazo-jovedelme-2026.02.20) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [Információs füzet 49: A szociális hozzájárulási adó (2026. 01. 16.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/49.-A-szocialis-hozzajarulasi-ado-2026.-01.-16) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [Információs füzet 100: Az egyéni vállalkozók átalányadózásának alapvető szabályai (2026. 02. 20.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/100.-Az-egyeni-vallalkozok-atalanyadozasanak-alapveto-szabalyai-2026.-02.-20) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [Információs füzet 10: Ingatlan bérbeadásának és egyéb hasznosításának adózása (2026.02.03.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/10.-Ingatlan-berbeadasanak-es-egyeb-hasznositasanak-adozasa-2026.02.03) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [Információs füzet 09: Az ingatlanértékesítésből és a vagyoni értékű jog átruházásából származó jövedelem (2026.02.04.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/09.-Az-ingatlanertekesitesbol-es-a-vagyoni-erteku-jog-atruhazasabol-szarmazo-jovedelem-2026.02.04) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [Információs füzet 20: Az öröklési illeték (2026. 02. 02.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/20.-Az-oroklesi-illetek-2026.-02.-02) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [Információs füzet 19: A visszterhes vagyonátruházási illeték (2026. 01. 30.)](https://nav.gov.hu/pfile/file?path=/ugyfeliranytu/nezzen-utana/inf_fuz/2026/19.-A-visszterhes-vagyonatruhazasi-illetek-20260130) (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal (NAV), read 2026-10-27); [1995. évi CXVII. törvény a személyi jövedelemadóról (Szja tv.)](https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/1995-117-00-00) (Nemzeti Jogszabálytár (njt.hu), read 2026-10-27); [2019. évi CXXII. törvény a társadalombiztosítás ellátásaira jogosultakról (Tbj.)](https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2019-122-00-00) (Nemzeti Jogszabálytár (njt.hu), read 2026-10-27); [2023. évi XC. törvény a harmadik országbeli állampolgárok beutazására és tartózkodására vonatkozó általános szabályokról](https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/2023-90-00-00) (Nemzeti Jogszabálytár (njt.hu), read 2026-10-27); [1990. évi C. törvény a helyi adókról (Htv.)](https://njt.hu/jogszabaly/1990-100-00-00) (Nemzeti Jogszabálytár (njt.hu), read 2026-10-27); [White Card: residency for digital nomads](https://oif.gov.hu/factsheets/white-card-residency-for-digital-nomads) (Országos Idegenrendészeti Főigazgatóság (oif.gov.hu), read 2026-10-27).

Not yet reviewed by a person. General information, not tax advice. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

## Climate (2001–2020 normals)

| Month | Mean °C | Rain mm | Humidity % | Comfortable |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jan | -2.9 | 38 | 91 | no |
| Feb | -0.7 | 40 | 86 | no |
| Mar | 4.4 | 41 | 77 | no |
| Apr | 10.8 | 42 | 70 | no |
| May | 15.7 | 73 | 70 | yes |
| Jun | 19.7 | 79 | 69 | yes |
| Jul | 21.9 | 83 | 65 | yes |
| Aug | 21.6 | 62 | 64 | yes |
| Sep | 16.2 | 55 | 68 | yes |
| Oct | 10 | 54 | 78 | no |
| Nov | 4.3 | 47 | 88 | no |
| Dec | -1.3 | 45 | 91 | no |

## Airports and nonstop flights

| Airport | IATA | Nonstop destinations | International | From US airports |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport | BUD | 151 | 151 | 1 |
| Košice International Airport | KSC | 18 | 18 | 0 |

Unique destinations across all airports: 153, of which 153 international (Wikipedia, 2026-11).

## Similar cities

- [Pécs](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/pecs) (69.1) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/miskolc-vs-pecs)
- [Szeged](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/szeged) (70.5) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/miskolc-vs-szeged)
- [Seville](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/seville) (69.2) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/miskolc-vs-seville)
- [Bucharest](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/bucharest) (66) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/bucharest-vs-miskolc)
- [Székesfehérvár](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/szekesfehervar) (70.6) — [compare](https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/miskolc-vs-szekesfehervar)

## FAQ

### How much does it cost to live in Miskolc as a digital nomad?

A single person typically spends about $1,450 per month in Miskolc (a country-level estimate for Hungary). That is a 56/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.

### Is Miskolc safe for digital nomads?

Miskolc scores 80/100 on safety. Hungary records 0.7 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2024) and a political-stability score of 74.5/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.

### Does Hungary have a digital nomad visa?

Yes. Hungary offers the White Card (digital nomad residence permit) with a minimum income of about $3,368 per month. Verify current rules with the issuing authority before applying. Full guide: https://nostos.navoy.io/visas/hungary

### How fast is the internet in Miskolc?

Measured median download speed in Miskolc was 57 Mbps (upload 23.7 Mbps) across 877 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.

### Is Starlink available in Miskolc?

Yes. Starlink's availability map lists residential service as available in Hungary (checked 2026-10), so a dish can serve as a backup line in Miskolc. Check the exact address on starlink.com before ordering, since capacity varies by area.

### Which airports serve Miskolc and how many nonstop flights are there?

Miskolc is served by Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD) with 151 nonstop destinations and Košice International Airport (KSC) with 18 nonstop destinations, 153 unique destinations across all of them, of which 153 are international. 1 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-11.

### When is the best time of year to be in Miskolc?

The most comfortable months are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Mean temperatures range from 27°F (-3°C) in Jan to 71°F (22°C) in Jul (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).

### Miskolc or Pécs: which is better for digital nomads?

Pécs is the city with the closest factor profile to Miskolc in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

## Plan a trip

[Plan a trip to Miskolc](https://dashboard.navoy.io/trip/new?utm_source=nostos&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=plan_trip&utm_content=miskolc&destination=Miskolc%2C+Hungary) on Navoy, the AI travel planner behind Nostos.

## Sources

[^1]: City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^2]: 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. https://getwherenext.com/data/cost-of-living-2026 (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^3]: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. https://github.com/0brien18/global-emigration-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^4]: Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, dataUNODC. UNODC data, free to reuse with attribution. https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim (retrieved 2026-10-12)
[^5]: Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/worldwide-governance-indicators (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^6]: UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/uhc-index-of-service-coverage (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^7]: Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/life-expectancy-at-birth-(years) (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^8]: M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. https://statistics.measurementlab.net/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^9]: Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. https://www.starlink.com/map (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^10]: Nostos long-stay visa guides, Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/visas (retrieved 2026-10-04)
[^11]: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. https://github.com/ilyankou/passport-index-dataset (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^12]: Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/ (retrieved 2026-09-24)
[^13]: Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. https://nostos.navoy.io/methodology (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^14]: NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). https://power.larc.nasa.gov/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^15]: SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04), Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis. CC BY 4.0. https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/surface-pm2-5/ (retrieved 2026-10-07)
[^16]: OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. https://overpass-api.de/ (retrieved 2026-10-02)
[^17]: Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. https://hdr.undp.org/data-center/documentation-and-downloads (retrieved 2026-09-22)
[^18]: EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. https://www.ef.com/epi/ (retrieved 2026-09-22)

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/miskolc