In the last 10 years, Romania had the highest minimum wage growth in the EU. Only five member states do not have a national minimum wage.
ADVERTISEMENTRomania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Poland have registered the highest average annual minimum wage growth rate in the EU between January 2015 and January 2025.
They represent an increase between 14% and 10%, according to the latest figures from Eurostat.
By contrast, the lowest average annual growth rates among EU countries were recorded in France at +2.1% and Malta at +2.9%.
In the EU, 22 out of the 27 member states have a set national minimum wage.
However, monthly minimum wages vary widely across the EU countries.
Only Denmark, Italy, Austria, Finland and Sweden are the exceptions.
Luxembourg, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and France are the six countries in the band of above €1,500 per month minimum wage.
These countries’ national minimum wages ranged from €1,802 in France to €2,638 in Luxembourg.
On the other hand, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Estonia, Czechia, Slovakia, Romania, Latvia, Hungary, and Bulgaria are the countries with the lowest minimum wages being below €1,000 per month.
Their national minimum wages ranged from €551 in Bulgaria to €970 in Croatia.
Is the salary the only rating measure?
Purchasing power standard (PPS), which measures the price of specific goods, can provide a fairer comparison given that living costs, particularly housing expenses, vary significantly across European countries.
In the EU countries, the disparities in minimum wage are considerably smaller after adjusting for differences in price levels.
Eurostat divided EU countries into three groups: above PPS 1,500, between PPS 1,000 and below PPS 1,500, and below PPS 1,000.
Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, France, and Poland are the seven member states in the above PPS 1,500 band.
While, Slovakia, Czechia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Estonia are the six countries in the below PPS 1,000 band.
ADVERTISEMENTHowever, countries with a lower absolute minimum wage may offer similar purchasing power compared to richer nations due to lower living costs.
Poland, for example, moves into the top tier when it adjusted for its purchasing power standard, suggesting its minimum wage has strong purchasing power compared to its cost of living.
Video editor • Mert Can Yilmaz
