Leaving home in hopes of a better life: Here’s how much Hungarians in Austria earn
Each year, an increasing number of Hungarians migrate to Austria in search of a better life. As of April 2024, 118,000 Hungarians are employed in Austria. Although they earn less than Austrian workers, the higher wages in Austria still attract Hungarians, many of whom commute rather than relocate due to Austria’s higher living costs.
Hungarians in Austria
G7 reports that as of April 2024, 118,000 Hungarians are employed in Austria, marking a 4.4% annual increase and constituting 3% of Austria’s workforce. This influx positions Hungarians as the second-largest group of foreign workers in Austria, surpassed only by Germans, who number 124,000. The appeal of Austria for both groups lies partly in the higher salaries, with Germans also benefiting from a shared language. However, Hungarian workers are increasingly closing the gap, and projections suggest they may soon become the largest expatriate community in Austria.
Many do not want to move
Interestingly, nearly half of the employed Hungarians in Austria do not relocate but commute from Hungary. Despite the potential for remote work, many Hungarians in Austria are engaged in physical, non-office roles, which are not conducive to remote arrangements. Additionally, the Hungarian government has not facilitated remote work by failing to sign a framework agreement that would regularise such practices.
This policy stance uniquely complicates the lives of Hungarians in Austria. Naturally, the main motives behind working in Austria are the hopes of a better life and higher wages. However, recent data concerning the salaries of Hungarians in Austria may come as a shock.
Hungarians earn less than Austrians
According to the Austrian Statistical Office, Hungarians working in Austria earn at least a quarter less than the median wage for all workers in the country. While the median wage for Hungarians in Austria is about EUR 2,000, significantly higher than in Hungary, it still falls short of the Austrian median. Hungarians working year-round in Austria earn 27% less than the overall average for full-time workers.
Despite this, the substantial wage gap between Hungary and Austria means that Hungarians can still earn several times more than in their home country. Austrian workers benefit from collective agreements that include a 13th and 14th month’s salary, taxed more favourably and paid as bonuses in summer and before Christmas. However, Hungarians rarely secure high-paying jobs, and the wage statistics for Austrian nationals, who typically occupy higher positions, reveal a much larger pay gap.
Is it worth working in Austria?
The higher salaries in Austria are more beneficial for those commuting from Hungary due to Austria’s significantly higher price levels, which were 1.6 times greater than Hungary’s in 2022, according to Eurostat. When adjusted for the cost of living, the Austrian median gross wage is only 1.6 times higher than the Hungarian wage, rather than 2.5 times higher. Despite hopes that rising wages in Hungary might attract workers back, the wage gap between the two countries continues to widen, explaining the yearly increase in the number of Hungarians working in Austria.
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Featured image: depositphotos.com
“many of whom commute rather than relocate due to Austria’s higher living costs.”
And that’s all you need to know, right there.
It’s not just about how much money is coming in but also about how much is going out. It’s pure common sense. If you earn three times more but your rent is three times higher and bills (especially energy) at least 7-8 times what they are in Hungary, then the arithmetic changes pretty quickly. Add to that the fact you’re a thousand times more likely to get assaulted, robbed, or raped in Austria by an illegal alien, and show me the math.
Steiner Michael – “many of whom commute rather than relocate due to Austria’s higher living costs.”
What percentage fall into this category ?
28% – that’s the FACTUAL answer, that should have been INCLUDED in this article.
We know the seasonal movement of workers, particularly in the hospitality sector, between Hungary & Austria.
We have for 6 years “used” as our pub, a location very near our house in District V,1052.
We know the Manager, who has been in this establishment for over 9 years.
Last week, they have had a “movement” of staff, in recent time, I asked the question, what hourly rate, do staff receive in your establishment – a “mean” rate ?
To my amazement, the forint per hour 2,500 to 3.000.
Remember – nothing is GETTING Cheaper in Hungary.
Hungary – we have 3 million plus growing of our population living in POVERTY.
Do the Maths – and if considering a move look at the BIG Picture, as Stainer “touches” on,
Never forget to turn the page, if the front page indicates 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹and head side B with – What if ???.
Michael Steiner, have you even visited Austria? You’re writing complete tosh, I’m sorry. Check Numbeo, Austria is a moderately priced western country, in fact, in many respects it’s positively cheap. Rent in Vienna isn’t even twice that of Budapest these days, bills are categorically NOT 7-8x higher, they’re less than x2 when you factor in food, utilities and transport. As for your libel about poor safety and security, again, it’s totally unfounded. Austria is a safe country, especially compared to the western European norm. Sorry, but it offers everything Hungary offers, and much more. The reality for an average working person in Hungary today it that all their income is spent on living expenses whereas an Austrian salary leaves a healthy chunk of disposable income every month to spend or save. You should pick on somewhere like France or Belgium where incomes vs. the cost of living present a more challenging picture, as do high crime levels in certain locations. Crime is rising in Hungary too, which is entirely unsurprising when you look at the percentage of society living on the margins and the growing gap between rich and poor. Acquisitive property crime is rising, as are social problems due to government underinvestment in associated programmes that address these. It mirrors the situation found in the healthcare and education systems. I don’t feel nearly as safe in Budapest as I did 10 or 20 years ago, in fact, I’ve had some unpleasant close shaves in the last year while walking at night and travelling on public transport, experiences that were unknown years ago. There’s a growing underclass in Hungary and they’re becoming more brazen and nihilistic. Passengers are fearful to travel on the Godollo HEV, so bad things have become, we never used to read about things like this in Hungary, and yet.
So give the f-ing numbers – it’s that simple- how many times are you going to Run simizlar stories and leave out the basics