K&H: Living off savings: there is a wide variation among young people in how long the money they have saved will last

The importance of financial reserves typically becomes tangible when an unexpected situation arises: a new smart device purchase, a major car expense, a temporary job change or even a move. In such cases, the decisive factor is not “whether there is money set aside”, but how long it provides room for maneuver – and how much it forces them to make quick, often unfavorable compromises.

How long is it enough?

According to the K&H youth index, in the fourth quarter of last year, the average monthly net income of 19-29 year-olds was 252 thousand forints. More than half of those affected, 55 percent, have savings.

34 percent of those with reserves belong to the group who could live on the accumulated amount for at least 6 months. Within this, 13 percent mentioned at least half a year and a maximum of 1 year. This also shows that the proportion of those who have reserves sufficient for more than 1 year is below 10 percent. There are differences within the country: compared to a third nationwide, only 21 percent of young people living in the eastern part of the country said that their reserves would be enough for at least 6 months in the absence of income.

However, 40 percent of those surveyed said they could only afford to spend a month at most, and 26 percent could only finance their daily lives for three months if they had no income.

Quarterly fluctuations

The long-term data from the K&H Youth Index shows that since 2012, the proportion of young people with reserves sufficient for at least 6 months has been 34 percent on average, which is the same as the current result. However, the numbers indicate significant fluctuations. A more favorable result was measured, for example, in the third quarter of 2025, when the proportion was 42 percent, while at the end of 2024 it was 37 percent. The record level was at the end of 2016, when almost 50 percent of young people reported this.

Overall, the results of the research show that while more than half of young people can now put some money aside, the reserve is in many cases more of a short-term “buffer” than a real safety net. This enhances the value of conscious financial planning – especially in a life situation where changing jobs, housing expenses or training costs often change quickly for 19–29 year olds anyway.