Since the political changes of 1990, the notion of subsistence level has been widespread in Hungary. The living standards of millions of people have dropped over the past five years, and they now live close to or under the subsistence level. The media frequently uses this concept to describe the difficult political and economic situation in the country. This article discusses a 1994 study conducted at the Esztergom police department, which focused on the income of police officers and their family members, including incidental sources of income earned during the previous year. 3 tables and 1 figure