Minimum Wages in Europe in 2026: Where Wages Are Highest and How Purchasing Power Is Changing

The difference between minimum wages in Europe runs into the thousands of euros, but the nominal amount does not always reflect the actual standard of living. Learn more about the countries with the highest and lowest wages, how the rankings change when purchasing power is taken into account, and the impact of inflation on workers’ incomes

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In July 2026, the gross minimum wage in European countries ranged from €169 to €2,771 per month. However, when adjusted for the cost of living, the ranking changes significantly: some countries move up several positions at once, while countries with relatively high wages lose their advantage.

According to Eurostat, only 8 of the 29 countries surveyed raised their minimum wage between January and July 2026. At the same time, inflation in the eurozone reached 3.2% over those six months, so workers’ real purchasing power declined in many countries.

Let’s take a look at where in Europe the highest and lowest minimum wages are set, how the ranking changes after adjustment for purchasing power parity, and in which countries rising prices have the greatest impact on incomes.

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Where in Europe are the highest and lowest minimum wages in 2026?

As of July 2026, the difference between the highest and lowest gross minimum wages in the European countries surveyed exceeded €2,600 per month. Luxembourg remained the leader with €2,771, while the lowest level among EU countries was recorded in Bulgaria at €620. When including EU candidate countries, Ukraine ranked last with a minimum wage of €169.

Workers earned at least €2,000 per month in only five countries:

1. Luxembourg – €2,771

2. Ireland – €2,391

3. Germany – €2,343

4. the Netherlands – €2,338

5. Belgium – €2,234

France, with a figure of €1,867, did not make it into the top five but was significantly ahead of the rest of the countries. The middle group included Slovenia (€1,482), Spain (€1,425), Lithuania (€1,153), Poland (€1,119), Cyprus (€1,088), Greece and Portugal—both at €1,073—as well as Croatia—€1,050. Most of these figures are closer to €1,000 than to €1,500.

In 15 of the 29 countries, the gross minimum wage was less than €1,000 per month. This group included, in particular, Malta (€994), Estonia (€946), the Czech Republic (€923), Slovakia (€915), Hungary (€906), Romania (€825), and Latvia (€780).

At the same time, seven of the 15 countries with wages below €1,000 are EU candidate countries.

Among the candidate countries, four had a higher minimum wage than Bulgaria: Serbia—€743, Montenegro—€670, North Macedonia—€624, and Turkey—€621. Moldova, at €313, and Ukraine, at €169, lagged most significantly behind the overall range, while in all other countries the figure exceeded €500.

Gross minimum monthly wage in European countries as of July 2026, in euros. Source: Euronews based on Eurostat data.

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How does the ranking change when purchasing power is taken into account?

Nominal wages in euros do not reflect how many goods and services an employee can actually purchase in their home country. For a more accurate comparison, Eurostat uses the purchasing power standard (PPS). This is a notional unit that accounts for differences in price levels: theoretically, 1 PPS can purchase the same amount of goods and services in every country.

After this adjustment, the gap between European countries narrows significantly. The minimum wage ranges from 705 PPS in Albania to 2,164 PPS in Germany. Data for Ukraine and Moldova are unavailable, and the figure for Turkey is as of July 2025.

The top five countries with the highest minimum wages in terms of purchasing power are as follows:

1. Germany – 2,164 PPS

2. Luxembourg – 2,108 PPS

3. Netherlands – 2,023 PPS

4. Belgium – 1,922 PPS

5. Ireland – 1,756 PPS

France, Slovenia, Spain, and Poland also exceed the 1,500 PPS mark. In particular, the minimum wage in Poland is 1,547 PPS, although in the nominal ranking the country is only in the middle of the list with a figure of €1,119. This demonstrates how a lower cost of living can offset a lower salary in euros.

At the bottom of the ranking are Albania—705 PPS, Estonia—935 PPS, Latvia—938 PPS, Turkey—973 PPS, and Bulgaria—993 PPS. At the same time, North Macedonia, with a score of 1,142 PPS, and Serbia, with 1,094 PPS, outrank seven EU countries, including Malta, Slovakia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

Minimum wages in European countries adjusted for purchasing power parity as of July 2026. Source: Euronews based on Eurostat data.

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Which countries saw the biggest changes in their rankings after the recalculation?

Comparing nominal salaries in euros with PPS figures significantly alters the rankings of certain countries. The biggest winners were countries where relatively low salaries are partially offset by lower prices for goods and services.

Romania rose from 20th to 12th place, and North Macedonia from 24th to 16th. Both countries moved up eight spots each and became the top winners in the purchasing power ranking. Serbia moved up five spots, while Croatia and Bulgaria each moved up three.

Estonia lost the most positions. It ranked 16th in the ranking by nominal wages, but after adjusting for the cost of living, it dropped to 26th. Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus each lost four positions.

These changes show that the nominal wage amount in euros alone does not provide the full picture. For example, a worker in a country with a lower nominal minimum wage may have greater real purchasing power if housing, food, transportation, and other basic expenses are cheaper there.

Changes in European countries’ rankings for minimum wages after adjustment for purchasing power parity. Source: Euronews

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In which countries did minimum wages increase in 2026?

Between January and July 2026, only 8 of the 29 countries surveyed raised their minimum wage in local currency. In the remaining countries, the minimum wage remained unchanged, even despite further increases in consumer prices.

The largest increases were recorded in the following countries:

-North Macedonia — by 6.9%

- Romania — by 6.8%

- Estonia — by 6.8%

- Belgium — by 5.8%

- Greece — by 4.5%

- Luxembourg — by 2.5%

- France—by 2.4%

- the Netherlands—by 1.9%

In all other countries, the minimum wage remained unchanged during the first half of the year. As a result, workers may have effectively lost some of their purchasing power, especially where inflation outpaced wage growth.

The Netherlands provides a telling example: the minimum wage rose by 1.9%, while consumer prices increased by 4.7% over the same period. Consequently, the nominal increase in income did not offset the rising cost of goods and services.

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How does inflation reduce workers’ real incomes?

An increase in the minimum wage does not guarantee an improvement in well-being if prices rise faster. According to Eurostat estimates, inflation in the eurozone stood at 3.2% from January to July 2026.

In countries where the minimum wage was not adjusted or was raised only slightly, workers could actually afford fewer goods and services than at the beginning of the year.

The highest rates of price growth among the countries included in the study were recorded in Malta (8.2%), Cyprus (5.4%), and the Netherlands (4.7%). At the same time, the minimum wage in the Netherlands rose by only 1.9%, meaning the increase did not offset inflation. In Malta and Cyprus, the minimum wage remained unchanged throughout the first half of the year.

The most challenging situation was in Turkey. Between December 2025 and June 2026, inflation in the country reached 17.8%. Since the minimum wage is now adjusted only once a year, its real value declines rapidly over the course of the year. This is particularly important given that nearly 40% of workers in Turkey earn the minimum wage—the highest proportion among the European countries surveyed.

Therefore, to assess real income levels, it is important to compare not only nominal wages and their growth but also inflation rates. Even a nominal wage increase can mean a decline in purchasing power if the costs of food, housing, transportation, and other basic expenses are rising faster.

To learn more about the ranking of minimum wages in Europe in 2026, please follow the link.

What should you consider when comparing wages across different countries?

The minimum wage in euros provides only a basic idea of income levels. For a realistic assessment, it’s important to simultaneously consider the cost of living, taxes, and mandatory expenses, since the same amount of money provides very different levels of comfort in different countries.

Before moving or taking a job, it’s important to pay attention to:

- Average cost of rent

- Prices for groceries and utilities

- Transportation costs

- Taxes and social security contributions

- Access to healthcare and insurance

- The portion of the minimum wage remaining after basic expenses

That is why rankings based on purchasing power parity are often more revealing than a simple comparison of amounts in euros. For example, a country may lag behind in terms of nominal wages but outperform other countries once lower prices are factored in.

In 2026, the gap between minimum wages in Europe remains significant, but the difference between nominal income and what a worker can actually afford is becoming even more important. For an objective comparison, it is important to evaluate not just a single figure, but the relationship between wages, inflation, and daily expenses.

If you are planning to work abroad in 2026 and want to better understand the rules of employment, work permits, taxes, and basic employee rights, it is worth preparing for the move in advance. Visit World's practical working guide will help you navigate the current requirements, types of work permits, and steps to take upon arrival to avoid common mistakes and feel confident in your new life abroad.

We remind you! New economic indicators show which countries have been able to increase their GDP and which have lost ground due to inflation and slowing growth. Ranking of the richest countries in the world in 2026 — follow the link.

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