Some expenses are on par with California (eating out and other such luxuries), but if you have a chance to cook, you can make the dollar (or forint) last.

But more to the point, the folk are just coming out of (hopefully) a 16 year period of hostile policy (craaaazy levels of corruption), and with high prices and low wages, our moodiness can be overwhelming.

Definitely take the chance, it will change your whole view on life, but prepare yourself emotionally. Be kind, but don’t expect the openness of US Americans. But whenever you do run into someone who shows openness, they are the genuine article.

I’m guessing you’ll be mostly mingling with other foreigners (good times, travellers are fun), but you might want to do yourself a favor and try to get a handle on some basic phrases of language. Hungarian is too far away on the language trees to be comprehensible, and half a year is only enough for the poliest of glots to learn our language. But some kind Hungarian words and phrases can make a world of difference.

Good luck, have fun!