Starting January 1st, 2026, Airbnb rentals will be completely banned in Budapest’s 6th district. This move was decided by the district’s residents through a binding vote, with the National Assembly's authorisation.
Budapest's 6th district, Terézváros, is a vibrant central neighbourhood, home to iconic spots like the Opera House, the World Heritage-listed Andrássy út, renowned theatres, the House of Terror, and Nyugati Railway Station. It's also packed with Airbnb homes, making it a hotspot for tourists. But not from 2026!
Between September 2nd and 15th, residents of Terézváros voted, both online and in person – to decide the fate of Airbnb in the district. A total of 6,083 voters participated, and the verdict is in: starting January 1st, 2026, Airbnb will be a thing of the past here. While major European cities like Lisbon, Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, London, and Barcelona have already tightened their regulations, it's rare for a single district to take such a step.
'Terézváros has shown that it leads the way not only in democratic practices, ' said Mayor Tamás Sporoni. 'The next step is to present the residents' wishes to the district council and draft a decree reflecting their decision. I believe it's important that the change will take effect only on January 1, 2026, giving businesses time to adapt to the new rules. The residents have demonstrated the power of democratic tools and made a choice about the kind of neighbourhood they want to live in.'
(Cover photo: Norbert Juhász - We Love Budapest)
