I can show you how much you must pay if you want to eat or drink on the beach. Including a mini Hungarian surviving dictionary.
As we all remember, 2020 was about coronavirus. But in Hungary we had a window of a few months when we could live a relative normal live, without restrictions and face masks.
People flocked to Lake Balaton making hotels and beaches crowded. It seemed as if there had never been any pandemic.
Meanwhile there was a public debate about the prices of Balaton.
Some experienced the prices high rocketed at the “Hungarian sea”, others denied it.
Well, I visited the beach of Szigliget (northern shore) a couple of times during the above mentioned period and came to the conclusion that the prices were really a bit higher than the previous years, but the changes are not dramatic: Balaton is still cheaper than the Croat or Italian beaches.
But you decide!
I took some photos of the piece lists of beach bars and food stalls and give you some help for understanding the numbers.
Food
Mini dictionary:
Halászlé = Hungarian fish soup (worth trying)
Babgulyás = Gulyás soup with beans (main course)
Rántott csirkemell hasábbal = Breaded chicken breast with fries
Fogasfilé körettel = Pike-perch fish with side dish
Rántott csirkemáj körettel = Breaded chicken liver with side dish
A hamburger is around 2000 HUF, depending on the stuffing and topping. Anyway these burgers are real burgers (I mean big ones), you can eat them as main course.
The pizzas are between 1500 and 2000 HUF
Palacsinták = Pen cakes
Lángos = Deep fried special Hungarian flatbread, extremely popular (nearly compulsory) at summer beaches
Mártások, szószok = Sauces
Drinks
Mini dictionary:
Csapolt sörök = Beers on tap
Folyó borok = wines of the house
Rövid italok = spirits
dl = 0,5 liter
As you can see wines are cheap, but for this money there is guarantee for quality.
Jeges kavé = coffee with ice
Üdítők = soft drinks
Házi limonádé = home made lemonade
Ásványvizek = mineral waters
Gyümölcslevek = fruit juices
Szóda = sparkling water, soda water
Fruits and vegetables
This photo (sorry about the quality) was taken at a greengrocer’s near the entrance of the beach, and this was the only place where we experienced “rip off” prices, which means in places like this you must pay around double of the normal (supermarket or open air market) prices.
Mini dictionary
Őszibarack = peach
Burgony/krumpli = potato
Vöröshagyma = onion
Szilva = plum
Fokhagyma = garlic
Szőlő = grapes
Citrom = Lemon
Padlizsán = Aubergine
Paradicsom = Tomato
Uborka = Cucumber
Sárgarépa = Carrot
Two years ago I collected the Hungarian supermarket prices. As the inflation is relatively low, they are still valid.
