Business · Economy · 14 hrs ago
Spanish retirees describe sharply different pension incomes
A past television report in Spain asked people in a wealthy neighborhood and a working-class neighborhood about life after retirement.
One man, who had worked as a company manager and paid contributions from age 18 to 65, said he received a gross pension of €2,200 a month and was satisfied.
A former pastry chef said he received €900 after 45 years of contributions and struggled to make ends meet.
Other interviewees said their households relied on a spouse’s pension of €1,200 or €700 a month.
In 2026, Spain’s maximum general retirement pension is €3,359.60 gross a month, paid in 14 installments.
The minimum for people aged 65 or older varies according to whether they have a dependent spouse, and meeting the minimum through a supplement requires qualifying under income rules.
Pension amounts depend on each person’s contribution record, so a long working life does not guarantee the same benefit for everyone.
Retirees interviewed for a report described sharply different pension incomes, from €2,200 gross a month to €900.
The report, shown on El Intermedio on laSexta a few years ago, compared residents of an affluent neighborhood with those of a working-class neighborhood.
Some retirees said they were content with their pensions, while others described difficulty making ends meet or supporting a household.
The article says pension differences reflect work and contribution histories as well as family circumstances.
In 2026, Spain’s general maximum pension is €3,359.60 gross a month, paid in 14 instalments.
- Who
- Retirees interviewed by El Intermedio, including a former company manager and a former pastry chef.
- What
- They described different pension incomes and how they affected daily life.
- When
- The report aired a few years ago. The pension figures cited for 2026 apply in 2026.
- Where
- An affluent neighborhood and a working-class neighborhood; the article does not name the locations.
- Why
- The article attributes differences to contribution histories and family circumstances.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
El Intermedio on laSexta aired a report comparing pension incomes and lives in an affluent neighborhood and a working-class neighborhood.
The article reported the general maximum pension and minimum retirement pension rates for the year.
- Former company manager's pension
- €2,200 gross a month
- Former pastry chef's pension
- €900 a month after 45 years of contributions
- Husband's pension supporting a couple
- €1,200 a month
- General maximum pension in 2026
- €3,359.60 gross a month in 14 instalments
- Annual general maximum pension in 2026
- €47,034.40
What people are saying
It is working to die, because if you cannot eat, you cannot live... what difference does it make?
I receive a gross pension of 2,200 euros and I was a company manager. I paid contributions from the age of 18 to 65. I am happy with my pension because it is the maximum.
My husband was a Metro driver and before that he worked in the countryside in the village.
Sources
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