Budapest vs Helsinki

Budapest leads Helsinki by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 72 to 71. Budapest grades better on 7 measures, Helsinki on 10; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Budapest 72, Helsinki 71
• OECD: Budapest 70, Helsinki 72
• UN Tourism: Budapest 75, Helsinki 70
• UNDRR: Budapest 70, Helsinki 71

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Budapest 63, Helsinki 67
• Economy and jobs: Budapest 92, Helsinki 83
• Climate and hazards: Budapest 70, Helsinki 80
• Water and environment: Budapest 75, Helsinki 63
• Community and housing: Budapest 67, Helsinki 83
• Access and continuity: Budapest 71, Helsinki 75

Where Budapest is stronger

• Average length of stay: 2.4 nights per visitor (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) / Horwath HTL, 2025). Between 2.2 and 2.8: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 71 % average annual occupancy (CBRE / Money Buzz! Hungary, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 3.2 % of the labour force (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Table 20.2.1.10 'Changes in the unemployment rate', October–December 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 95 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Települési szennyvíztisztítás – Fenntartható fejlődési célok, 2024). At or above 95: grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 361.3 kg per resident per year (Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Települések infrastrukturális ellátottsága, 2023, 2023). Between 350 and 450: grade 3/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Budapest Municipal Government / Hegyvidék Local Government, 2024–2025). Grade 2/4.

Where Helsinki is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 52.2 % of nights by residents of the same country (City of Helsinki & Visitory, 2024). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Income per head: 70,915 GDP per capita, USD PPP (region figure) (OECD Regional Statistics via OECD.Stats, 2022). At or above 60,000: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 2.8 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 10: grade 4/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Country disaster risk: 2 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). At or below 2: grade 4/4.
• Green space: 44 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 0.1 % change in rents over the last 12 months (country figure) (Statistics Finland, Rents of dwellings, 2026 Q2). At or below 3: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 0.7 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Airbtics / City of Helsinki (Kaupunkitieto), 2024–2026). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: A written destination crisis plan (City of Helsinki, 2026). Grade 2/4.
• Government effectiveness: 97.6 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). At or above 80: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Hungary: #42 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Finland: #19 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Budapest in full · Helsinki in full

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