Hungary assembles cars and batteries for European brands, and Budapest runs finance, IT, and shared-services centers for regional groups. The country had 9,488,428 residents on January 1, 2026, per the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH).
Full-time staff earned HUF 745,500 gross on average in July 2026, according to the KSH earnings release. Any payroll services Hungary employers hire must work within the Labor Code (Act I of 2012). That framework pairs a single 13% social contribution tax with monthly returns to the tax authority. The employer side is simple; the employee side is where the detail sits.
Why Businesses Choose Payroll Services in Hungary
Hungarian employers pay wages monthly, in forint (HUF). They add just one levy on top of gross pay: the 13% social contribution tax (szociális hozzájárulási adó, SZOCHO). From the employee’s gross pay, the employer withholds a flat 15% personal income tax (SZJA) and an 18.5% social security contribution (TB járulék). None of these rates moved for 2026, per PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries. This year, payroll services in Hungary have to respect 2 wage floors. The minimum wage (minimálbér) is HUF 322,800 a month, and the guaranteed wage minimum (garantált bérminimum) is HUF 373,200. The job’s qualification requirement, not the worker’s diploma, decides which floor applies.
INSIGHT: What does a Hungarian employee cost on top of salary?
The employer’s statutory bill is a single 13% levy, while the employee side carries 33.5% in tax and contributions before any relief.
- 13% SZCHO paid by the employer on gross pay (PwC, reviewed July 2026).
- 15% SZJA and 18.5% TB járulék withheld from the employee (NAV, January 2026).
- HUF 322,800 minimum wage and HUF 373,200 guaranteed minimum, both in force since January 1, 2026 (PwC).
Mistakes rarely come from those flat rates. They come from reliefs the employer must apply each month. The family tax allowance now reduces the tax base by HUF 133,340 a month for 1 child, and more per child in larger families. Staff under 25 pay no SZJA on pay up to HUF 693,740 a month. Mothers of 3 children became exempt in October 2025, and mothers under 40 with 2 children joined in 2026, per PwC. Each relief needs a signed declaration and an eligibility check, and each changes the monthly 08 return. That return and the payment are due by the 12th of the following month, which is exactly where an outside payroll team earns its keep.
The minimum wage rose 11% for 2026, to HUF 290,800, and skilled roles have their own higher floor. Sick leave (betegszabadság) is the employer’s cost for up to 15 working days a year, paid at 70% of the absence fee. After that, the National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK) pays sickness benefit. Base annual leave is 20 working days, with extra days as employees get older. Foreign employers carry the same filing duties as local ones. If they miss them, the duty can shift to the employee, per the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV).
INSIGHT: What changed for payroll in Hungary in 2026?
Tax rates stayed the same, but wage floors rose sharply, and reliefs kept widening, so a payroll configured in 2025 deserves a fresh review.
- An 11% jump in the minimum wage, to HUF 322,800 a month (PwC, 2026).
- Guaranteed wage minimum of HUF 373,200 for skilled roles (PwC).
- SZJA, TB járulék and SZOCHO rates remain unchanged at 15%, 18.5% and 13% (NAV).
- Mothers under 40 with 2 children are exempt from SZJA from 2026 (PwC)
The lighter model is what payroll outsourcing services Hungary vendors mostly sell. Your own company, usually a limited liability company (Kft.), remains the employer on every contract. The provider runs the calculations, the reliefs, the 08 return, and the payslips, and no special registration is needed.
Under PEO Hungary arrangements, the legal picture flips. When a provider employs a person and places them under your direction, Hungarian law calls it labor leasing (munkaerő-kölcsönzés). The lender must be registered by the competent government office (kormányhivatal). It must also keep a HUF 15 million cash deposit as a financial guarantee, per the National Employment Service. Some equal-pay rules for leased staff start only from day 184 at the same client.
So whenever a vendor sells a PEO in Hungary or an EOR, ask for its lender registration or its registered Hungarian partner. It is a regulated, guaranteed activity, not a way around the Labor Code. If the legal-employer route is all you need, my employer of record Hungary guide covers it on its own.
The 12 providers below all run payroll or employ staff in Hungary. Local firms make up 8 of them, and 4 are global platforms with a Hungary page of their own. Each profile gives the pricing model, the main strengths, and the client it fits. Plenty of Hungarian teams report to a regional headquarters in Vienna, so my PEO Austria guide is worth a look too.
Top 12 Payroll Companies and PEO Providers in Hungary
Before shortlisting a payroll company in Hungary, settle 3 points.
Start with the entity question. A Kft. of your own means payroll outsourcing will do. No Kft. means a PEO or EOR, which Hungarian law handles as labor leasing by a registered lender.
Then think about scope. If Hungary is one stop in a wider program, a global platform keeps every country on a single contract. If it stands alone, local specialists usually know NAV and the reliefs more closely.
Last, decide whether staffing belongs in the brief. Several local firms pair leased workers with recruitment, while others only process pay.
Whichever payroll company Hungary teams choose, I would test it on the same basics. Look for correct SZJA, TB járulék and SZOCHO handling, and family, under-25 and mothers’ reliefs applied from signed declarations.
On-time 08 returns matter just as much, along with the right wage floor for each job and clean sick leave and NEAK paperwork. For employment services, I also wanted a visible lender registration or partner, and open per-employee pricing.
All twelve providers appear in A-to-Z order. The sequence says nothing about quality, preference, or ranking.
Atlas HXM
Provider Type:
Global EOR platform
Company Description:
Atlas HXM is a global EOR platform. Its Hungary page covers Labor Code-compliant contracts, monthly payroll, and work-permit support for non-EU hires, and it states plainly that Atlas does not recruit candidates.
Key Specialty Area:
Employment wrapper for candidates you already found
Service Cost:
Platform fee from $599 per employee per month; larger teams can ask for volume pricing.
Top Advantages:
- Right-to-work checks built into onboarding
- Work-permit support for hires from outside the EU
- Volume discounts for multi-country headcount
Scope of Services:
- Employer of Record employment in Hungary
- Payroll and benefits administration
- Immigration and work-permit support
Our Verdict
A fit for companies that have already found their Hungarian hire and need an employment wrapper across several countries.
G-P (Globalization Partners)
Provider Type:
Global EOR platform
Company Description:
G-P runs a global employment platform. It says customers can use its existing Hungary subsidiary to put staff on payroll without their own entity. Its Globalpedia pages also cover hiring, benefits, and visas.
Key Specialty Area:
Hungarian payroll through its own subsidiary
Service Cost:
Flat platform fee starting at $599 per employee per month.
Top Advantages:
- Hungarian subsidiary already in place, the company says
- Flat fee that does not rise with salary
- Country guides for payroll, benefits and visas
Scope of Services:
- Employer of Record employment and payroll
- Tax and contribution withholding
- Visa and work-permit support
Our Verdict
A safe route for larger companies hiring in Hungary and several other countries at the same time.
HR Park
Provider Type:
Budapest-based HR services provider
Company Description:
HR Park is a Budapest HR firm on Váci út whose leaders cite 25+ years in HR services. Its temporary staffing line hires workers who then work at the client, with HR Park handling recruitment, payroll, and administration.
Key Specialty Area:
Temporary staffing with payroll handled in-house
Service Cost:
No list price; HR Park sends a tailored offer on request.
Top Advantages:
- Leased workers stay off the client’s statistical headcount
- No payroll, contribution, or cafeteria admin for the client
- HR consulting and coaching from the same team
Scope of Services:
- Temporary staffing (labor leasing)
- Recruitment and job placement
- HR consultancy, training and coaching
Our Verdict
Worth a call for manufacturers and project teams that need flexible headcount without running the payroll themselves.
ICTEuropa
Provider Type:
Budapest accounting, tax and payroll firm
Company Description:
ICTEuropa (ICT Europe Group) is a Budapest firm with 150 professionals across accounting, tax, legal, and HR. More than 200 companies use its payroll service, and all of them run their own Hungarian entity.
Key Specialty Area:
Payroll for foreign-owned Hungarian companies
Service Cost:
No list price; an offer follows a free consultation.
Top Advantages:
- A dedicated payroll specialist plus a supervising team leader
- English and German spoken by most of its experts
- Social security pay office handled for 100+ employee firms
Scope of Services:
- Monthly payroll with e-mailed payslips
- Tax and contribution returns to NAV
- Accounting, tax advisory and labor law support
Our Verdict
My pick for a foreign-owned Kft. that wants payroll, accounting and labor law advice from one Budapest team.
MGI-BPO Solutions Kft.
Provider Type:
Budapest business process outsourcing firm
Company Description:
MGI-BPO Solutions Kft. is a Budapest member of the MGI Worldwide network that runs payroll for 2,500+ employees a month, it says. It also serves foreign employers with Hungarian staff and no local entity, providing payroll rather than EOR.
Key Specialty Area:
Group-ready payroll for international subsidiaries
Service Cost:
Quote-based; the firm says it costs more than average for small, simple payrolls.
Top Advantages:
- English group reporting for foreign controllers
- Handles multi-shift schedules and working time banking
- Registers foreign employers with NAV when no entity exists
Scope of Services:
- Payroll outsourcing for Hungarian entities
- Payroll for foreign employers without an entity
- Accounting, tax advisory and company formation
Our Verdict
A strong choice for a German or Austrian employer that wants to stay the employer of its Hungarian staff.
Pannon-Work Ltd.
Provider Type:
Hungarian workforce services company
Company Description:
Pannon-Work Ltd. (Pannon-Work Zrt.) is a Budapest workforce company with 30+ years in the market. It leases staff, runs cooperative and rehabilitation employment programs, and offers payroll services; it says it has been a qualified lender since 2020.
Key Specialty Area:
Labor leasing, including third-country workers
Service Cost:
No list price; company offers are free of charge.
Top Advantages:
- Qualified employer status for leasing non-EU nationals
- 3-month guarantee on leased foreign workers
- Immigration paperwork handled by an in-house team
Scope of Services:
- Labor leasing and permanent placement
- Cooperative and rehabilitation employment
- Payroll services and immigration administration
Our Verdict
A practical option for plants and warehouses that need leased staff at scale, including workers from outside the EU.
Prohuman
Provider Type:
Hungarian HR services company
Company Description:
Prohuman (Prohuman Zrt., parent of HR-Rent) is based on Hungária körút in Budapest and calls itself a market leader. Its site lists its labor leasing registration number, and it says clients pay only for hours actually worked.
Key Specialty Area:
Large-scale labor leasing and foreign recruitment
Service Cost:
No list price; clients are billed on hours worked.
Top Advantages:
- Labor leasing registration number published on its site
- On-site management covering HR, recruitment, and training
- Relocation and housing for workers from 15+ countries
Scope of Services:
- Labor leasing, including casual work
- Recruitment of foreign workers
- Placement of blue- and white-collar candidates
Our Verdict
The natural shortlist entry for employers that need large leased teams and documented registration details.
Remote
Provider Type:
Global EOR and payroll platform
Company Description:
Remote is a global employment platform. Its Hungary page says Remote can employ team members in Hungary and handle payroll, benefits, and taxes, while firms with their own Kft. can use its payroll product.
Key Specialty Area:
One login from first hire to own Kft.
Service Cost:
$699 per employee per month for EOR, and $29 per employee per month for payroll once you have an entity.
Top Advantages:
- Separate payroll plan once you open a Kft.
- Published prices for EOR, payroll, and contractors
- Country guide on leave, taxes, and termination
Scope of Services:
- Employer of Record hiring in Hungary
- Global payroll for existing entities
- Contractor management and payments
Our Verdict
A sensible choice for startups that plan to incorporate later and want to stay on one platform.
RSM
Provider Type:
Hungarian member of an audit and tax network
Company Description:
RSM Hungary was founded in 2001 and is the Hungarian member of the RSM network, with payroll and accounting reach across 120+ countries. Payroll outsourcing for firms with their own entity sits next to its tax, audit, and HR work.
Key Specialty Area:
Full-scope payroll on Nexon, KulcsSoft, or SAP
Service Cost:
No list price; offers go through an online request form.
Top Advantages:
- Works in Nexon, KulcsSoft, or SAP HCM payroll systems
- Social security office tasks for 100+ staff
- Work permits handled with information in English
Scope of Services:
- Payroll, social security, and sick pay administration
- HR consulting and HR outsourcing
- Personal income tax returns and work permits
Our Verdict
My choice for companies that want payroll within an audit and tax relationship, or support on an existing SAP payroll.
TILEA Consulting Ltd.
Provider Type:
Hungary-based tax, payroll and employment consultancy
Company Description:
TILEA Consulting Ltd. is based in Szigetszentmárton, near Budapest, and trades through employmentinhungary.com. It acts as a Hungary PEO through labor leasing, says it holds an international leasing license and runs payroll in English.
Key Specialty Area:
Labor leasing and payroll for foreign newcomers
Service Cost:
No published price; each engagement is quoted.
Top Advantages:
- Registers foreign employers with NAV for direct employment
- Payroll and returns prepared in English
- Visa, residence permit and virtual office support
Scope of Services:
- Labor leasing and EOR/PEO employment
- Payroll, accounting and international tax advice
- Work permits, visas and company formation
Our Verdict
Suited to small foreign firms that want tax advice, payroll and a leasing option from one boutique adviser.
TopSource Worldwide
Provider Type:
Global payroll and EOR provider
Company Description:
TopSource Worldwide is a global payroll specialist with an EOR line covering 164 countries. Its Hungary page describes entity-free employment with the 13% SZOCHO and a named account manager, handled by local specialists.
Key Specialty Area:
Payroll-first provider that can also employ
Service Cost:
No public price; quotes depend on country and team size.
Top Advantages:
- Account manager reachable by phone, the company says
- Hungary page covers SZÉP card and tax reliefs
- Fully managed payroll across 164 countries
Scope of Services:
- Global payroll for existing entities
- Employer of Record employment
- Entity setup and HR advisory
Our Verdict
I would shortlist TopSource when payroll quality comes first, and EOR is an occasional add-on.
WTS Klient Kft.
Provider Type:
Hungarian accounting, payroll and tax firm
Company Description:
WTS Klient Kft. (WTS Klient Hungary) was founded in 1998 and is the exclusive Hungarian member of WTS Global. About 50 payroll specialists process pay for 13,000+ employees each month, it says, mostly for international clients.
Key Specialty Area:
High-volume payroll for international groups
Service Cost:
No public price; quoted on headcount and scope.
Top Advantages:
- Social security paying agent for 30+ companies
- Works in NEXON, SAP, and WizuálBér
- English- and German-speaking payroll team
Scope of Services:
- Monthly payroll and returns to NAV
- Social security administration
- Fringe benefit and cafeteria consulting
Our Verdict
A dependable pick for multinational subsidiaries with large Hungarian payrolls and complex benefit plans.
How Much Payroll Services Cost in Hungary
A payroll company Hungary businesses hire usually bills a monthly fee per employee or per payslip, with a minimum charge. Bigger or cross-border mandates are usually priced by quote.
That fee normally buys processing, relief handling, the 08 return, payslips and year-end certificates. Onboarding, HR advice, off-cycle runs and immigration work tend to be invoiced separately. Remote’s payroll plan, for instance, is $29 per employee per month for a company with its own Kft.
Employment through labor leasing costs more, because the lender carries the contract, the deposit, and the risk. Among the global platforms, published EOR fees are $599 per employee per month at Atlas HXM and G-P, and $699 at Remote.
Budgets for payroll outsourcing services in Hungary should add the statutory layer on top. That means 13% SZOCHO on gross pay and sick leave for the first 15 working days a year. Employers also contribute one-third of the later sickness benefit. NAV’s guide for foreign employers explains the contribution and payment rules.
*As pricing is subject to change, we are listing prices as they stand in September 2026
INSIGHT: Which monthly deadlines does a payroll company in Hungary need to hit?
Hungarian payroll risk sits in the monthly return and the reliefs feeding it, so ask how a provider tracks both.
- The 08 return reaches NAV no later than the 12th of the next month.
- SZJA, TB járulék and SZOCHO paid by the same date.
- Relief declarations collected and applied before the monthly run.
Romania, next door, is the other big hiring market in Central and Eastern Europe, and many companies weigh the 2 before picking a hub. My PEO Romania guide lists the providers working on the Romanian side.
Readers extending a Central European team toward the Adriatic can turn to my PEO Croatia guide next.
FAQs on Payroll Services and PEO in Hungary
What does payroll outsourcing in Hungary include?
Each month, the provider calculates pay in HUF and withholds the 15% personal income tax and the 18.5% social security contribution. It works out the employer’s 13% social contribution tax and applies each employee’s tax reliefs from their declarations. Then it files the monthly 08 return with NAV and issues payslips in Hungarian, often with an English summary for the parent company. Most providers also calculate sick leave and sick pay and prepare year-end certificates for staff. They also keep the records that labor inspectors may ask to see during an audit.
How much does it cost to employ someone in Hungary?
The employer pays gross salary plus a 13% social contribution tax, and there is no other standard statutory employer contribution. The employee pays a flat 15% income tax and an 18.5% social security contribution, both withheld from gross pay. Family, under-25 and mothers’ reliefs can raise net pay a great deal without changing the employer’s cost. Budget separately for benefits such as a SZÉP card or private health cover, sick leave, and any provider fees. The employer also covers one-third of sickness benefit after the first 15 days.
Is a PEO or EOR legal in Hungary?
Yes. Hungarian law has no separate EOR category, so the arrangement is labor leasing. The lender must be registered with the competent government office and keep a cash deposit as a financial guarantee, and you can check the registration. Some equal-pay rules for leased staff apply from day 184 at the same client. Before signing, ask any provider for its registration details or the name of its registered Hungarian partner. Without one or the other, I would walk away from the deal.
Can a foreign company hire in Hungary without a local entity?
Yes. A registered lender can hire the person under Hungarian law and place them in your team, with you directing the daily tasks. The provider signs the contract in Hungarian, withholds tax and contributions and files the monthly NAV return. A foreign company can also register with NAV and employ directly, using a payroll firm for the filings. As the team grows, many firms form their own Kft. and move to payroll outsourcing. Allow a few months for the new contracts and registrations this requires.
What is the minimum wage in Hungary in 2026?
It is HUF 322,800 a month from January 1, 2026, an 11% rise on the 2025 level. A higher guaranteed wage minimum of HUF 373,200 applies to jobs that require at least secondary or vocational qualifications. What counts is the job’s requirement, not the qualifications the employee happens to hold. Both floors reset each January under a multi-year wage agreement between the government and the social partners. The 2027 figures may be announced before year-end, so check again before budgeting.
When are payroll taxes due in Hungary?
Employers file the monthly 08 return with NAV by the 12th of the month after the payroll month. Employers pay income tax, social security contributions, and social contribution tax by the same date. Foreign employers have the same obligations as Hungarian ones. If a foreign employer does not meet them, the duty can pass to the employee. Late or incorrect filings attract penalties and interest, so the monthly timetable is where most providers prove their value. Ask each one how it tracks corrections and self-revisions.
Helen is Anywherer’s Market Analyst & Content Researcher, with extensive experience in analyzing global employment markets and HR technology trends. She is skilled at turning complex market data into clear, well-researched insights that inform every piece of content. With a strong grasp of the EOR, PEO, and international hiring space, Helen plays a key role in keeping Anywherer’s research accurate, up to date, and genuinely useful for readers.
