Blue collar workers among the higher earners

Conflicting takes on the economy in 2022

A left-wing commentator suggests that 2022 was a tough year for Hungarians because the economy was mismanaged by the government. A conservative economist points out that real wages have been on the rise in Hungary. READ MORE

Teachers’ protest on October 23

A pro-government analyst and a left-wing commentator offer diametrically opposed interpretations of the teachers’ demonstrations joined by tens of thousands in Budapest on 23 October. READ MORE

Ruminations on teachers’ demands for higher wages

A pro-government commentator accuses  teachers striking for higher wages of acting from political motives. A left-wing liberal columnist proposes merit-based salary hikes to motivate teachers and strengthen equality of opportunity. READ MORE

Minimum wage to be raised by 20 %

A conservative economist agrees that Hungarian wages are low, but he still finds the government’s plan to raise the minimum wage by 20 per cent risky. READ MORE

Hungarian wages in a regional comparison

The leading online business media outlet contends that despite a surge in the Romanian average wage, Hungarian households with children still have a higher disposable income, due to tax benefits offered for families. READ MORE

Minimum wage raised by 8 per cent

A left-wing columnist thinks that, due to the higher than expected growth rate, the government should have raised wages by more than originally scheduled. He warns, nonetheless, that steady wage increases may hurt Hungary’s competitiveness. READ MORE

GDP growth just below 5 per cent

A pro-government journalist praises government policy, but admits that Hungary’s high growth rate is also due to external factors. READ MORE

Inflation slows down, but vegetable prices surge

A left-wing analyst criticizes the National Bank for not raising the base rate despite the high inflation rate. Other economists think that higher prices are the natural result of increasing wages and a higher demand for higher quality goods. READ MORE

Wage hikes may revert emigration

A liberal analyst thinks that although wages are still way higher in western Europe, Hungarians working there may still ponder returning home as salaries in Hungary have been steadily increasing for years now. READ MORE