A person working as Waiter / Waitress in Hungary typically earns around 149,000 HUF. Salaries range from 73,200 HUF (lowest) to 233,000 HUF (highest).
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Waiter / Waitress salaries in Hungary vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Minimum Salary 73,200 HUF |
Median 139,000 HUF |
Maximum 233,000 HUF |
Salaries for the position Waiter / Waitress in Hungary range from 73,200 HUF (starting salary) to 233,000 HUF (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
With a median salary of 139,000 HUF, half of the professionals who work as Waiter / Waitress in Hungary earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Waiter / Waitress in Hungary earn less than 114,000 HUF, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 159,000 HUF while 25% earn more.
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Waiter / Waitress in Hungary compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 86,800 HUF to 122,000 HUF. About 20% of salaries are below the 86,800 HUF mark, while 10% fall within the range of 122,000 HUF to 138,000 HUF. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 138,000 HUF.
0 - 2 Years | 86,800 HUF | |
2 - 5 Years | +29% | 112,000 HUF |
5 - 10 Years | +38% | 154,000 HUF |
10 - 15 Years | +24% | 191,000 HUF |
15 - 20 Years | +7% | 204,000 HUF |
20+ Years | +7% | 218,000 HUF |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Waiter / Waitress and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 86,800 HUF.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 112,000 HUF, 29% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 154,000 HUF, 38% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 191,000 HUF, 24% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 204,000 HUF, 7% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 218,000 HUF, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
High School | 112,000 HUF | |
Certificate or Diploma | +43% | 159,000 HUF |
Bachelor's Degree | +38% | 220,000 HUF |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Waiter / Waitress in order to make a comparison.
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 112,000 HUF.
At this level, the average salary becomes 159,000 HUF, 43% more than the previous level.
At this level, the average salary becomes 220,000 HUF, 38% more than the previous level.
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Waiter / Waitress in Hungary, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 6%.
Male | 144,000 HUF | |
Female | +7% | 154,000 HUF |
Individuals working as Waiter / Waitress in Hungary are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 10% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 17 months.
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
72% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 28% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 0% to 4% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 28% | |
No Bonus | 72% |
The most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Waiter / Waitress in Hungary is 420 HUF. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | -100% | |
Airbnb Property Manager | 527,000 HUF | +250% |
All Rounder | 180,000 HUF | +21% |
Assistant Executive Housekeeper | 141,000 HUF | -6% |
Assistant Food and Beverage Controller | 270,000 HUF | +81% |
Assistant Food and Beverage Director | 607,000 HUF | +310% |
Assistant Hospitality Manager | 627,000 HUF | +320% |
Assistant Storekeeper | 120,000 HUF | -20% |
Assistant Tour Manager | 288,000 HUF | +93% |
Baker and Pastrycook | 160,000 HUF | +7% |
Bakery Manager | 356,000 HUF | +140% |
Bakery Superintendent | 229,000 HUF | +53% |
Banquet Captain | 183,000 HUF | +23% |
Banquet Manager | 242,000 HUF | +62% |
Banquet Server | 157,000 HUF | +5% |
Bar Attendant | 152,000 HUF | +2% |
Bar Manager | 317,000 HUF | +110% |
Bar Supervisor | 218,000 HUF | +46% |
Barista | 186,000 HUF | +25% |
Bartender | 179,000 HUF | +20% |
Bellman | 147,000 HUF | -2% |
Beverage Manager | 364,000 HUF | +140% |
Bistro Attendant | 152,000 HUF | +2% |
Buffet Chef | 271,000 HUF | +81% |
Buffet Host | 147,000 HUF | -2% |
Buffet Manager | 329,000 HUF | +120% |
Butcher and Slaughterer | 123,000 HUF | -18% |
Cafeteria Assistant | 166,000 HUF | +11% |
Cafeteria Manager | 280,000 HUF | +87% |
Cafeteria Supervisor | 214,000 HUF | +43% |
Cake Decorator | 174,000 HUF | +17% |
Casino Shift Manager | 510,000 HUF | +240% |
Chain Store Customer Support | 256,000 HUF | +71% |
Chef | 282,000 HUF | +89% |
Chef De Cuisine | 420,000 HUF | +180% |
Club Manager | 532,000 HUF | +260% |
Cluster Director | 680,000 HUF | +360% |
Cluster Revenue Manager | 532,000 HUF | +260% |
Cocktail Server | 153,000 HUF | +2% |
Coffee Shop Manager | 508,000 HUF | +240% |
Concierge | 146,000 HUF | -2% |
Confectionery Baker | 167,000 HUF | +12% |
Conference and Sales Coordinator | 273,000 HUF | +83% |
Conference Services Manager | 342,000 HUF | +130% |
Cook | 242,000 HUF | +62% |
Corporate Sous Chef | 420,000 HUF | +180% |
Corporate Travel Consultant | 440,000 HUF | +190% |
Croupier | 206,000 HUF | +38% |
Culinary Assistant | 138,000 HUF | -8% |
Culinary Associate | 137,000 HUF | -8% |
Culinary Tour Guide | 363,000 HUF | +140% |
Demi Chef | 300,000 HUF | +100% |
Dietary Aide | 280,000 HUF | +87% |
Dining Room Supervisor | 254,000 HUF | +70% |
Dishwasher | 113,000 HUF | -24% |
Duty Manager | 347,000 HUF | +130% |
Events Coordinator | 227,000 HUF | +52% |
Executive Chef | 325,000 HUF | +120% |
Executive Pastry Chef | 266,000 HUF | +78% |
Fast Food Cook | 228,000 HUF | +53% |
Fast Food Shift Supervisor | 240,000 HUF | +61% |
Fine Dining Cook | 402,000 HUF | +170% |
Fine Dining Restaurant Chef | 405,000 HUF | +170% |
Fleet Manager | 727,000 HUF | +390% |
Food and Beverage Manager | 551,000 HUF | +270% |
Food and Beverage Trend Analyst | 384,000 HUF | +160% |
Food Consultant | 452,000 HUF | +200% |
Food Photographer | 306,000 HUF | +100% |
Food Policy Analyst | 410,000 HUF | +170% |
Food Safety Auditor | 381,000 HUF | +160% |
Food Safety Compliance Manager | 440,000 HUF | +190% |
Food Safety Coordinator | 333,000 HUF | +120% |
Food Server | 154,000 HUF | +3% |
Food Service Director | 578,000 HUF | +290% |
Food Service Manager | 613,000 HUF | +310% |
Food Service Sales | 373,000 HUF | +150% |
Food Service Worker | 149,000 HUF | -0% |
Food Stylist | 246,000 HUF | +65% |
Food Sustainability Consultant | 433,000 HUF | +190% |
Front Desk Agent | 169,000 HUF | +13% |
Front Desk Clerk | 167,000 HUF | +12% |
Front Office Manager | 328,000 HUF | +120% |
Gastronomy Consultant | 325,000 HUF | +120% |
Guest Service Executive | 472,000 HUF | +220% |
Guest Service Representative | 204,000 HUF | +37% |
Head Chef | 335,000 HUF | +120% |
Head Concierge | 224,000 HUF | +50% |
Hospitality Director | 896,000 HUF | +500% |
Hospitality Technology Specialist | 352,000 HUF | +140% |
Hostess / Host | 179,000 HUF | +20% |
Hotel Desk Clerk | 173,000 HUF | +16% |
Hotel Maid | 126,000 HUF | -16% |
Hotel Manager | 874,000 HUF | +490% |
Hotel Revenue Manager | 496,000 HUF | +230% |
Hotel Sales Manager | 634,000 HUF | +320% |
Hotel Service Supervisor | 490,000 HUF | +230% |
Hotel Staff | 152,000 HUF | +2% |
Inventory Coordinator | 181,000 HUF | +21% |
Kitchen Manager | 297,000 HUF | +99% |
Kitchen Staff | 163,000 HUF | +9% |
Kitchen Supervisor | 251,000 HUF | +68% |
Line Cook | 269,000 HUF | +80% |
Luggage Porter | 120,000 HUF | -20% |
Molecular Gastronomist | 424,000 HUF | +180% |
Motel Manager | 488,000 HUF | +230% |
Pastry Chef | 238,000 HUF | +59% |
Pastrycooking and Baking Assistant | 166,000 HUF | +11% |
Personal Chef | 341,000 HUF | +130% |
Production Operator | 243,000 HUF | +63% |
Quality, Health and Safety Coordinator | 265,000 HUF | +77% |
Receptionist | 176,000 HUF | +18% |
Regional Restaurant Manager | 684,000 HUF | +360% |
Restaurant Manager | 582,000 HUF | +290% |
Restaurant Server | 143,000 HUF | -4% |
Room Reservations Manager | 573,000 HUF | +280% |
Room Service Manager | 544,000 HUF | +260% |
Sous Chef | 310,000 HUF | +110% |
Special Events Coordinator | 355,000 HUF | +140% |
Supervisor of Food Services | 400,000 HUF | +170% |
Sustainable Catering Coordinator | 349,000 HUF | +130% |
Sustainable Tourism Consultant | 383,000 HUF | +160% |
Tour Consultant | 415,000 HUF | +180% |
Tour Guide | 292,000 HUF | +96% |
Tour Manager | 374,000 HUF | +150% |
Travel Agent | 299,000 HUF | +100% |
Travel Consultant | 400,000 HUF | +170% |
Virtual / Augmented Reality Tourism Specialist | 361,000 HUF | +140% |
Waiter / Waitress | 149,000 HUF | -0% |
Wedding Planner | 448,000 HUF | +200% |
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Hungary is 9% on average across all career fields.
Private Sector | 476,000 HUF | |
Public Sector | +9% | 518,000 HUF |
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 139,000 HUF and 159,000 HUF. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
The base salary for a careers like Waiter / Waitress in Hungary ranges from 73,200 HUF to 114,000 HUF. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary