Real wage growth (monthly)
How much more net pay buys than a year ago, after price rises. How much the purchasing power of average net pay changed over a year – net wage growth minus price growth, monthly since 2021.
- Latest
- 8.6%August 2026
- over one year
- +3.9 ppAugust 2025: 4.7%
- Record high
- 25.4%January 2026
- Record low
- −19.4%February 2023
- Data since
- 20216.3%
Real wage growth (monthly)
What has changed since the change of government?
The latest figure compared with the value when the new government took office – and, for comparison, how the indicator moved over the same length of time before the change. This is a short period: the indicators are also strongly driven by the world economy, earlier decisions and seasonal effects, so changes cannot be attributed to the new government alone.
Regulation and key events
- 1 Jan 2011Flat income tax (16%)
From 2011 a single 16% personal income tax rate replaced the previous two rates (17% and 32%); the 'super-gross' tax base was phased out by 2013.
- 1 Jan 2016Income tax 15%
From 1 January 2016 the personal income tax rate is 15%.
- 1 Jan 2022Under-25 exemption
From 2022, people under 25 pay no personal income tax up to the average wage (715,765 HUF a month in 2026).
- 1 Jan 2023Mothers under 30
From 2023, mothers under 30 are exempt from income tax (up to the average wage until 2025, without a cap from 2026).
- 1 Jul 2025Family allowance +50%
From 1 July 2025 the family tax allowance rose by 50%, and with a second step on 1 January 2026 it doubled in total.
- 1 Oct 2025Mothers of three
From 1 October 2025, mothers of three children pay no income tax on earned income, regardless of age.
- 1 Jan 2026Mothers of two
From 1 January 2026, mothers of two under 40 are also exempt (the government announced in October 2026 that the age limit will not be raised). The family allowance reached double its pre-2025 level at the same time.
About this indicator
Our calculation from KSH net earnings and consumer price data (annual net wage index divided by the CPI). Positive means wages are outpacing prices. From late 2022 to mid-2023 real wages fell because of high inflation. One-off payments – such as the February 2022 bonus for the armed forces – cause big monthly spikes.
The latest figure (August 2026) is 8.6%, under the Magyar Péter government. The series goes back to 2021; the highest value was 25.4% (January 2026) and the lowest −19.4% (February 2023).
Source: KSH (mun0143 + ara0040) · Updated: 27 Oct 2026 21:41 UTC · Download data (CSV)
By government
The value when each government took office and when it left (or the latest figure), plus the average during the term.
| Government | At start | At end / now | Change | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Magyar Péter (Tisza)Magyar · 2026–in office | 8.9% | 8.6% | −0.3 pp | 8.3% |
Orbán Viktor (Fidesz)Orbán II–V · 2010–2026 | 6.3%* | 8.9% | +2.6 pp | 4.3% |
* The series starts during this term, so the starting value is the first available observation.
Data table · Year-end values
| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 8.6% |
| December 2025 | 6.3% |
| December 2024 | 5.7% |
| December 2023 | 10.1% |
| December 2022 | −4.7% |
| December 2021 | 2.2% |
Related indicators
Share of the labour force looking for work.
Share of under-25s in the labour force looking for work.
The lowest gross monthly wage for full-time work.
Average gross monthly pay of full-time employees.