Baffling Hungarian pension figures revealed: hundreds of thousands get less than EUR 250/month

Change language:

Meanwhile, Viktor Orbán announced today that the government can top up Hungarian pensions because Hungary’s budget funds are not tied up in Ukraine.

Some Hungarian pensioners are thriving

Startling pension data, based on statistics from Hungary’s Central Statistical Office (KSH), was released by MTI. According to the latest figures from January 2025, over 182,000 Hungarian pensioners receive less than HUF 100,000 (EUR 257) per month. More than 442,000 pensioners live on pensions below HUF 140,000 (EUR 360), while around 400,000 earn between HUF 140,000 and 180,000 (EUR 360 and 462) monthly.

Shocking Hungarian pension figures revealed
Forrás: KSH/Nemzeti Archívum/MTI

At the same time, nearly half a million pensioners—495,786 in total—receive monthly pensions of HUF 300,000 (EUR 770) or more. Among them, 77,394 enjoy pensions exceeding HUF half a million (EUR 1,285), and 14,431 can manage comfortably on more than HUF 700,000 (EUR 1,800) each month.

Could Hungary lower the retirement age?

Given the grim economic data, mounting pension costs, and the country’s demographic challenges, the chances of lowering the retirement age are slim—even though life expectancy figures in Hungary might justify such a step.

Some countries, like Finland, adopt a more flexible approach to retirement age, allowing it to rise or fall. This flexibility takes into account factors such as increased mortality rates linked to pandemic effects and rising geopolitical tensions, which shorten life expectancy after retirement. As a result, in some northern European nations, retirement ages may even be lowered.

Shocking Hungarian pension figures revealed
Photo: depositphotos.com

This philosophy is grounded in the idea that every retiree should have the opportunity to genuinely enjoy their retirement, ideally in good health, embracing the benefits of a less active lifestyle. Unfortunately, Hungary fares poorly in this regard. While the EU average life expectancy after retirement is 21 years for women and 19 years for men, a 65-year-old in Hungary can expect just 14.6 years for men and 18.6 years for women. When it comes to years lived in good health after retirement, Hungary trails behind, with fewer than five years on average, according to András Farkas, a pension expert cited by 24.hu.

Continue reading

One comment

  1. Bleeders of millions upon millions of Hungarians is this Victor Mihaly. Orban lead Fidesz Government.
    Appalling – the abuse, the disrespect the allocation of funding of Orban his Government, to play a “two way” feed that have “palm the hands” arrangements at the expense of million upon millions of Hungarian tax payers, the deprive place millions of Hungarians pensioners in this position, living life on the “smell of an oily rag”.
    Hungary, an “ageing” decreasing population , that over the (15) fifteen years of Governance under the Orban/Fidesz Government of Hungary has witnessed yearly more deaths of DNA Hungarians than new “little ones” their DNA Hungarian being born.
    Hungary population of 9.6 millions of which 1.2 million are living in POVERTY.
    Replusive and deserving of what will happening come Spring of 2026 – the outing, the DOWNFALL for the FUTURE of Hungary, of Victor Mihaly. Orban and his Fidesz Government, the DEVASTATORS – of Hungary.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *