Among those companies that do plan raises, the average increase is expected to be around 8%.

That figure is striking given that a similar share of employers (54%) had pledged increases for 2025 — yet by October, 70% had actually implemented raises of roughly the same 8% average. This gap suggests that many companies may be postponing or reconsidering pay raises for 2026 despite economic pressures.

Rising Costs, Soaring Pressure

According to data from the European statistics body Eurostat, labor-related costs in Hungary rose 10.2% in the first quarter, a jump well above the EU average.

Coupled with persistent inflation and sharp competition for talent, this has escalated pressure on companies: “Since 2023, we’ve seen the pattern that slightly more than half of companies plan pay raises for the next year — yet more than 70% end up increasing wages,” said Blanka Dencső, lead analyst at Profession.hu.

She noted that many wage increases remain “smaller than employees expect,” which has reinforced what she calls a “wage pressure” in the market. Employers also repeatedly cite a mismatch between the salaries they plan to offer and the compensation levels expected by candidates applying for open positions.

What’s Driving 2026 Plans — and What’s Holding Some Back

Employers attribute their 2026 salary plans to a mix of factors, including changes in the macroeconomic environment, organizational performance, inflation rate developments and the need to retain staff.

Hungary has seen a steady decline in the number of unfilled positions, according to national statistics; however, the count of job postings on Profession.hu has remained relatively flat. For employers, that means retention — rather than hiring — has become the more critical priority in the tight labor market.

Among the companies committed to raising pay, roughly seven out of ten plan to boost salaries across the board, regardless of role or performance, by the 8% average.

About 48% of responding companies currently offer non-wage benefits; roughly a fifth of those plan to raise these benefits next year — also by around 8%.

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