Job rate

simosi6 wrote:

Hi everyone,

While applying for a job in hungary, I was asked what salary I would like to earn. It's about an engineering position. What is the average rate for such a job and If you were in my shoes, what amount do you think I should say ( for a ''correct'' living).

Thanks for your answers!

The average salary for engineer is $1300 per month.  Check out these websites for information.
www.payscale.comwww.worldsalaries.org

simosi6 wrote:

Hi everyone,

While applying for a job in hungary, I was asked what salary I would like to earn. It's about an engineering position. What is the average rate for such a job and If you were in my shoes, what amount do you think I should say ( for a ''correct'' living).

Thanks for your answers!

Hard to say given the information provided. No-one can guess on what a desirable lifestyle is for you.

What are your circumstances?  Family? Kids? Age? Years of experience?  Educational level?  What kind of engineer?

Thank you very much for these clarifications.

Fluffy2560, Thank you for your reply.
I'm not a very big ''spender'', I'm single and willing to relocate alone. I'm a junior environmental engineer speaking 4 languages.
If I had to describe my lifestyle, I would say simple living.
As an expatriate, I'm tax-free and most of transport charges are on the company (I think).

simosi6 wrote:

....As an expatriate, I'm tax-free and most of transport charges are on the company (I think).

You won't be tax free here if you accept a permanent job here as an employee.

Well, that's what I was told. Nevertheless, I would like to know your opinion according to the criteria I've told you before.

If you are a temporary contract worker, and live and work in Hungary a short time (a few months or less), then you are not an expat living in Hungary and you do not usually have to pay taxes in Hungay, but you may have pay taxes in whatever country you declare residence (unless that country has no income tax). If you move to Hungary, and request residency based on a permanent job offer then you do pay taxes in Hungary (or rather the business does for you as they will deduct the taxes from your gross income).

So, it does seem there is a communication issue of what the company is saying and what you expect. If this is a permanent position, and you request Hungarian residency, do make sure you clarify to the company what you expect your net (i.e. take home) salary to be, since a "gross" salary will be approximately reduced by half in income and social taxes to get your approximate net take home income.

If the company is offering you a permanent position as an employee, and states you do not have to pay taxes, something does not seem right with this offer.

And as fluffy2560 said what is considered modest living by you may be interpreted differently between different people. So I recommend you check out the below page which shows expected living costs in Hungary and calculate for yourself, based on your definition of modest, what amount of income you would need to live in the style you wish to have:

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/ci … y=Budapest

If it is true that they only pay $1,300 per month with all the education needed for that posistion then I would pass on moving here.
Darn, you can make more then that working at fast food in the US.
My son was living in HU around 10 years ago. He married a Hungarian women and decided to see how much they would pay for his experience working in Vegas as a table games dealer.
He was hired although they told him to start in 2 months after he was sure about the numbers in Hungarian etc.
The pay was so low and the fact that he might be under allot of pressure working with the mob actually running the casino he passed on taking a job in Hungary. He said he could make more flipping burgers in the US then using his skills in Hungary.
My husband answered an add in a HU newspaper also around 10 or so years back. It was just for fun as we were in Hu on vacation and he was only curious about salaries. In the US in the 1980's my husband was pulling in over $45. an hour as a high skilled machinist in aerospace industry, only working 6 hours a day at his own pace  in a small job shop, low pressure job. The add in HU was only going to pay around $5. an hour! What?
Not even worth getting out of bed for.
Hungary is great if you have funds coming in from somewhere else, to actually break a sweat and work here is not exactly a dream come true. There is a reason the prices are low here for westerners,it is because they don't pay anyone nearly what they should over here.At least not honest hard working people.

Thank you for your answers.
I already know that rates in HU are lower than other countries in EU, for me, it's rather the occasion of working in a foreign country that attracts me. But this is only possible if the rates suits me, otherwise, I'd better stay where I am.
But, following your experience, please give me a wage spread so as I would rely on when answering to this qst.

simosi6 wrote:

Well, that's what I was told. Nevertheless, I would like to know your opinion according to the criteria I've told you before.

It's a complex question.

Which country do you come from or where will you be coming from to Hungary?  Where were you resident previously?

What I know:

All the EU countries use the same model for tax which is controlled by the OECD in Paris.  If you are in ANY EU country for more than six months, then you will be resident for taxes.  If you come as a permie employee, you will be taxed from day one. If you leave within 6 months and go to say, Abu Dhabi, then you need a refund. You may be able to just pay your social security payments in your home country, if there's a social security treaty with that country.  You will not be refunded social insurance payment if you paid them here but you'll get a "credit" which can be used elsewhere to show you paid.

If you come from a country like the USA or The Philippines, then you pay your taxes there, then rely on the relevant tax treaty to avoid double taxation.  The USA and The Philippines are the only two countries I know of that tax based on citizenship rather than location.   

If you work for an international organisation, like the European Union, United Nations etc, then your salary could be  "tax free" but the extent of the tax free status (i.e. tax type levied) depends on the nature of the organisation and its recognition.  If you work for a foreign government, then you could possibly be paid tax free here but be taxed in that foreign country (as you'd be a civil servant).

Otherwise, for mere mortals,  it's the OECD rules that apply generally.