started · updated
Budapest short-term rentals: 34% of listings operate illegally
An analysis by GuestGuru and the Budapest Short-Term Rental Database (BPDB) reveals that approximately one-third of short-term rental listings in Budapest operate illegally or irregularly. Out of 15,825 Airbnb and Booking listings, 5,374 were found to be missing mandatory NTAK identification numbers, using invalid numbers, or using credentials belonging to other accommodations.
This unregulated sector is estimated to cost the state and local governments approximately 3.1 billion HUF in annual tax revenue. This includes 1.01 billion HUF in tourism tax, 1.01 billion HUF in tourism development contributions, and 1.05 billion HUF in flat-rate tax.
The data indicates that the market is not dominated by large investors; 97.5 percent of operators manage three or fewer properties, and half of all listings belong to individuals renting out a single apartment. Experts suggest that strict regulations may disproportionately affect law-abiding small operators while illegal providers maintain a competitive advantage.
In the Terézváros district, where private short-term rentals were banned in early 2026, 747 out of 997 previous listings remained accessible seven months later. Of these, 498 used invalid or fake NTAK numbers. While hotel guest nights in the district rose by 22,700 following the ban, private accommodation nights fell by 94,900, with 76 percent of those guests choosing to leave the city entirely.
Entities
Airbnb · Budapest · Budapest Short-Term Rental Database · GuestGuru · Terézváros
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The 3.1 billion HUF loss includes 1.01 billion HUF in tourism tax, 1.01 billion HUF in tourism development contributions, and 1.05 billion HUF in flat-rate tax. piacesprofit.hu · www.blikk.hu
- [● 3 SOURCES] 97.5 percent of short-term rental operators manage three or fewer properties. www.forbes.hu · piacesprofit.hu · www.blikk.hu
- [● 3 SOURCES] Approximately 5,374 out of 15,825 Airbnb and Booking listings in Budapest operate illegally or irregularly. www.forbes.hu · piacesprofit.hu · www.blikk.hu
- [● 3 SOURCES] The irregular short-term rental market causes an annual tax revenue loss of approximately 3.1 billion HUF. www.forbes.hu · piacesprofit.hu · www.blikk.hu
- [● 2 SOURCES] Following the ban in Terézváros, hotel guest nights increased by 22,700, while private accommodation guest nights decreased by 94,900. www.forbes.hu · www.blikk.hu
- [● 2 SOURCES] In Terézváros, 747 out of 997 previous listings remained available seven months after a ban on private short-term rentals. www.forbes.hu · www.blikk.hu