Most retirees in Alicante live on incomes that barely reach the minimum wage. In recent times, the average pension for many falls short of 1,080 euros per month when paid in 14 installments, with some fortunate retirees earning substantially more. Since last August, the latest Social Security figures show that 8,796 beneficiaries in the province receive a pension equal to or higher than the maximum, which is at least 3,059 euros per month.
In this group, the retirees are often former civil servants, senior managers, and mid-level executives who built long careers. It is not surprising that a path to such high pensions can be traced to decades of contributions, sometimes reaching 25 years at top bases for a handful of people.
Gender differences are evident among high-earning retirees. About 69% are men, according to the same sources. Women typically experience more interruptions in their careers, later entry into the labor market, and remain underrepresented in senior roles. This imbalance tends to shape the future benefits they receive upon retirement.
A group photograph shows retirees enjoying a moment on the beach in Benidorm, a reminder of the social context in which these pension statistics exist.
While the raw numbers are striking, the portion of maximum pensions remains a small share of the total retirees. In Alicante, the share earning more than 3,000 euros is notably lower than in the rest of the country, standing at about 2.9% of Social Security beneficiaries versus 5.3% nationally.
On the flip side, about 61.7% of local retirees receive less than the minimum wage, a rate higher than the national average by about ten percentage points. This helps explain why average state payments tend to be lower in the region.
For August, the average pension in Alicante came to 1,145.94 euros, roughly 175 euros below the national average, and the highest earnings among public-sector retirees in the country have reached 509 euros more than those in the province.
A separate case in Alicante highlights a legal decision in which a resident obtained permission to forgo retirement benefits in order to continue working and potentially secure a higher total pension later on.
According to labor and social security law experts in Alicante, pension income is closely tied to salary levels. Low-wage sectors such as tourism pull the average down in the province, and economic reform is seen as necessary to reduce the regional gap over the long term. Some commentators believe a gradual transformation of the production model could help, though the benefits would unfold slowly.
Gender disparities persist on a global scale, with the average pension for female retirees in Alicante around 1,009 euros per month, compared with about 1,279 euros for men. In fact, women account for nearly 60% of those whose pensions are below the minimum wage in the province.
A photograph shows a few retirees strolling along the Benidorm promenade, illustrating the everyday life around these pension discussions.
multiple payments
Official statistics place the total number of retirees in Alicante at about 303,055, with more beneficiaries than those counted in 2000 due to population aging. Roughly 32,365 retirees receive multiple pensions, meaning about 10.7% collect more than one pension. The majority of these cases involve women, as many combine retirement with a widow’s pension.
Over the past year, the number of retirees in the province rose by about 4,905, continuing a trend that has added more than 35,000 people over the last decade. This growth slowed in 2020 because of higher death rates during the pandemic.
In terms of pension type, the most generous are general retirement pensions with an average near 1,173 euros per month after a notable early-year update tied to the consumer price index. Disability pensions provide an average of about 1,016 euros for recipients.
This is how Alicante pensions stay in 2023
Pensions for widowhood average around 770 euros monthly, while survivor pensions paid to relatives average about 669 euros. Orphan pensions affect a significant number of people in Alicante, averaging around 444 euros per month. Overall, the payroll costs of Social Security in the country remain substantial, with monthly expenditures approaching 350 million euros in the aggregate, underscoring the system’s role in supporting residents’ welfare.
In sum, Alicante presents a diverse pension landscape: a minority with very high benefits, a large group living near the minimum, and many who rely on a combination of retirement and related allowances to make ends meet.