Economy, jobs and prices in Pest, Hungary: official figures
GDP per person was 25,600 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 64% of the EU average; 4th highest of 8 regions in Hungary. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
How big is the economy of Pest?
The regional economy produced €24.2 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2024, 11.7% of Hungary's GDP.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Pest?
The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 3.0% in 2025, against 4.4% for Hungary and 6.0% across the EU; the lowest of 8 regions in Hungary.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is youth unemployment in Pest?
Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 9.2% in 2025, against 13.9% for Hungary; the lowest of 7 regions in Hungary.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does Pest spend on research and development?
Spending on research and development came to 0.41% of GDP in 2024 (1.31% nationally).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in the Pest region?
In 2024 the average gross monthly wage for full-time work in the Pest region was 590,879 forints, against 646,635 forints for Hungary as a whole; that ranks 4th highest of 8 regions.
Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copyWhat is the average net salary in the Pest region?
The average net monthly wage in the Pest region rose from 148,094 forints in 2015 to 407,551 forints in 2024, an increase of 175%; the Hungarian average was 444,938 forints.
Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copyHow many unemployed people are there in the Pest region?
18,400 registered jobseekers were on the books in the Pest region in December 2024, 2.6 per 100 people in the labour force against 4.5 nationally, which ranks 2nd lowest of 8 regions.
Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copyHow many people in Pest are long-term unemployed?
In 2025, 0.9% of the labour force in Pest had been unemployed for 12 months or more (Hungary: 1.5%; EU: 1.9%); 4th lowest of 8 statistical regions in Hungary. In 2015 it was 3.4%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate for women in Pest?
Unemployment among women was 2.8% in 2025 (Hungary: 4.3%; EU: 6.2%); the lowest of 8 statistical regions in Hungary. In 2015 it was 5.2%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many women in Pest are in work?
80.3% of women aged 20 to 64 were in work in 2025 (Hungary: 77.0%; EU: 71.3%); 2nd highest of 8 statistical regions in Hungary. In 2015 it was 64.8%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyIs the economy of Pest growing?
Output (gross value added, after inflation) changed by -0.3% in 2024 (Hungary: 0.2%); 4th highest of 8 statistical regions in Hungary. In 2014 it was 4.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Pest?
Residents of Pest owned 497 cars per 1,000 people in 2024 (Hungary: 447); 2nd highest of 8 statistical regions in Hungary. In 2016 it was 392.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Pest?
Average compensation per employee (pay plus employer social contributions) was €10,581 in 2023, against €11,296 across Hungary; the lowest of 8 statistical regions in Hungary.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Pest?
Visitors spent 1.5 million nights in tourist accommodation in 2025, 32% of them by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Pest?
The largest part of the economy of Pest in 2024 was finance, property and business services, at 27.6% of gross value added, followed by trade, transport, hospitality and communications (26.6%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Pest?
Factories, mines and energy produced 24.0% of the value added in Pest in 2024, against 21.7% for Hungary.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Pest growing?
Gross value added rose from €9.9 billion in 2015 to €20.8 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 109% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Pest?
Of the 543,720 jobs located in Pest in 2024, 16% in public services, education, health and other services, 21% in industry and 2.2% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Pest?
The number of people working in Pest rose by 24.1% between 2015 and 2024, to 543,720.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Gross earnings in the Pest region grew 13.4% between 2023 and 2024, compared with 13.2% nationally. Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copy
- By sector, the best-paid full-time jobs in the Pest region in 2024 were in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply at 969,938 forints gross a month, and the lowest-paid in accommodation and food service activities at 381,021 forints. Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copy
- Manual workers in the Pest region earned an average of 455,855 forints gross a month in 2024, against 754,856 forints for white-collar (intellectual) staff. Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copy
- Employers based in the Pest region had an average of 447,651 employees in 2024 (348,945 of them full-time), up 61.0% on 2015. Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copy
- 31% of registered jobseekers in the Pest region had been looking for work for more than a year in December 2024, and 32% had at most a primary-school education. Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copy
- Employers in the Pest region reported 5,458 unfilled job vacancies on average in 2024, about 12.2 per 1,000 employees. Source: Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) · saved copy
How Pest compares with other statistical regions
Average monthly gross earnings of full-time employees (HUF) (2024)
Pest ranks 4 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Average monthly gross earnings of full-time employees (HUF) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budapest | 782,459 forints |
| 2 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 624,259 forints |
| 3 | Közép-Dunántúl | 619,418 forints |
| 4 | Pest | 590,879 forints |
| 5 | Dél-Dunántúl | 554,138 forints |
| 6 | Dél-Alföld | 541,626 forints |
| 7 | Észak-Magyarország | 540,061 forints |
Growth in average gross earnings, 2015 to 2024 (2024)
Pest ranks 7 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Growth in average gross earnings, 2015 to 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Észak-Magyarország | 172.1% |
| 3 | Dél-Alföld | 169.7% |
| 4 | Dél-Dunántúl | 167.1% |
| 5 | Közép-Dunántúl | 166.5% |
| 6 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 166.1% |
| 7 | Pest | 161.3% |
| 8 | Budapest | 144.9% |
Registered jobseekers per 100 economically active people, December 2024 (2024)
Pest ranks 7 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Registered jobseekers per 100 economically active people, December 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Észak-Alföld | 6.8 |
| 3 | Dél-Dunántúl | 6.4 |
| 4 | Dél-Alföld | 4.1 |
| 5 | Közép-Dunántúl | 3.3 |
| 6 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 2.8 |
| 7 | Pest | 2.6 |
| 8 | Budapest | 2.2 |
Job vacancies per 1,000 employees (2024)
Pest ranks 3 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Job vacancies per 1,000 employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budapest | 15.1 |
| 2 | Közép-Dunántúl | 13.5 |
| 3 | Pest | 12.2 |
| 4 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 9.2 |
| 5 | Észak-Alföld | 7.7 |
| 6 | Dél-Dunántúl | 7.2 |
| 7 | Dél-Alföld | 6.7 |
Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) (2025)
Pest ranks 5 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Észak-Alföld | 2.4% |
| 3 | Dél-Dunántúl | 2.2% |
| 4 | Dél-Alföld | 2.0% |
| 5 | Pest | 0.9% |
| 6 | Közép-Dunántúl | 0.9% |
| 7 | Budapest | 0.7% |
| 8 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 0.6% |
Unemployment rate, women (2025)
Pest ranks 8 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, women |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Dél-Dunántúl | 6.2% |
| 3 | Észak-Alföld | 6.0% |
| 4 | Dél-Alföld | 4.3% |
| 5 | Közép-Dunántúl | 3.3% |
| 6 | Budapest | 3.1% |
| 7 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 3.0% |
| 8 | Pest | 2.8% |
Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)
Pest ranks 2 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, women aged 20-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budapest | 82.0% |
| 2 | Pest | 80.3% |
| 3 | Dél-Alföld | 78.5% |
| 4 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 78.0% |
| 5 | Közép-Dunántúl | 77.8% |
| 6 | Dél-Dunántúl | 73.2% |
| 7 | Észak-Alföld | 72.3% |
Real growth in gross value added (2024)
Pest ranks 4 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real growth in gross value added |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budapest | 2.1% |
| 2 | Dél-Dunántúl | 0.0% |
| 3 | Észak-Alföld | -0.1% |
| 4 | Pest | -0.3% |
| 5 | Közép-Dunántúl | -1.0% |
| 6 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | -1.1% |
| 7 | Észak-Magyarország | -1.7% |
Passenger cars per 1,000 people (2024)
Pest ranks 2 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Passenger cars per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 502 |
| 2 | Pest | 497 |
| 3 | Közép-Dunántúl | 473 |
| 4 | Dél-Dunántúl | 453 |
| 5 | Dél-Alföld | 446 |
| 6 | Budapest | 429 |
| 7 | Észak-Magyarország | 400 |
Compensation per employee (euros) (2023)
Pest ranks 8 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Compensation per employee (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | €11,411 |
| 3 | Közép-Dunántúl | €11,126 |
| 4 | Észak-Magyarország | €11,049 |
| 5 | Dél-Alföld | €10,890 |
| 6 | Dél-Dunántúl | €10,799 |
| 7 | Észak-Alföld | €10,680 |
| 8 | Pest | €10,581 |
Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)
Pest ranks 8 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Nights spent in tourist accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 5.7 million |
| 3 | Közép-Dunántúl | 3.9 million |
| 4 | Dél-Dunántúl | 2.9 million |
| 5 | Észak-Magyarország | 2.7 million |
| 6 | Észak-Alföld | 2.5 million |
| 7 | Dél-Alföld | 2.1 million |
| 8 | Pest | 1.5 million |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Pest ranks 5 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 32.7% |
| 3 | Észak-Magyarország | 32.0% |
| 4 | Észak-Alföld | 24.8% |
| 5 | Pest | 24.0% |
| 6 | Dél-Dunántúl | 22.2% |
| 7 | Dél-Alföld | 21.8% |
| 8 | Budapest | 12.1% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Pest ranks 2 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budapest | 36.7% |
| 2 | Pest | 27.6% |
| 3 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 20.2% |
| 4 | Közép-Dunántúl | 19.9% |
| 5 | Dél-Dunántúl | 19.5% |
| 6 | Dél-Alföld | 18.3% |
| 7 | Észak-Magyarország | 17.5% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Pest ranks 8 of 8, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Észak-Alföld | 25.3% |
| 3 | Észak-Magyarország | 24.6% |
| 4 | Dél-Alföld | 24.4% |
| 5 | Nyugat-Dunántúl | 19.0% |
| 6 | Budapest | 18.2% |
| 7 | Közép-Dunántúl | 16.5% |
| 8 | Pest | 11.3% |
More on Pest: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Hungary
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 537f99167955…)
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