{"id":1902959,"date":"2026-04-25T05:00:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T02:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1902959"},"modified":"2026-04-25T05:00:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T02:00:34","slug":"europes-wage-growth-since-2020-are-europeans-better-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1902959","title":{"rendered":"Europe\u2019s wage growth since 2020: Are Europeans better off?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/63\/90\/48\/1200x675_cmsv2_8af9e424-554c-514e-9ba2-2e63f35ac066-9639048.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2888516-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888516\" data-cid=\"9733734\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888516-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/37\/34\/189x106_cmsv2_e3efab73-8d30-5edf-ad52-b819497750f0-9733734.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Copyright 2013 AP. All rights reserved\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Central Asian countries collaborate to push green energy transition\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888914-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888914\" data-cid=\"9735928\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888914-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/59\/28\/189x106_cmsv2_e2d03024-cab6-5953-8343-ef9ccebfb45c-9735928.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | April 25th, 2026 \u2013 Midday\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | April 25th, 2026 \u2013 Midday\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888703-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888703\" data-cid=\"9734693\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888703-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/46\/93\/189x106_cmsv2_bba37c1d-e44f-5442-ba16-279c4c91be29-9734693.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rare Neruda book on Spanish Civil War to go on display in Chile for first time\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rare Pablo Neruda book on Spanish Civil War to go on display in Chile\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888901-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888901\" data-cid=\"9735855\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888901-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/58\/55\/189x106_cmsv2_48b774cf-ebf3-5a1b-bcf3-40552b70fc49-9735855.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A Palestinian woman votes in local elections, the first in two decades in Gaza \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    West Bank and part of Gaza vote in first municipal elections since war\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888516-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888516\" data-cid=\"9733734\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888516-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/37\/34\/189x106_cmsv2_e3efab73-8d30-5edf-ad52-b819497750f0-9733734.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Copyright 2013 AP. All rights reserved\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Central Asian countries collaborate to push green energy transition\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888914-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888914\" data-cid=\"9735928\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888914-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/59\/28\/189x106_cmsv2_e2d03024-cab6-5953-8343-ef9ccebfb45c-9735928.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Latest news bulletin | April 25th, 2026 \u2013 Midday\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Top News Stories Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Latest news bulletin | April 25th, 2026 \u2013 Midday\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888703-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888703\" data-cid=\"9734693\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888703-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/46\/93\/189x106_cmsv2_bba37c1d-e44f-5442-ba16-279c4c91be29-9734693.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rare Neruda book on Spanish Civil War to go on display in Chile for first time\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Culture news<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Rare Pablo Neruda book on Spanish Civil War to go on display in Chile\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888901-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2888901\" data-cid=\"9735855\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888901-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/58\/55\/189x106_cmsv2_48b774cf-ebf3-5a1b-bcf3-40552b70fc49-9735855.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A Palestinian woman votes in local elections, the first in two decades in Gaza \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    West Bank and part of Gaza vote in first municipal elections since war\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Business<\/p>\n<p>                          Economy<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Europe\u2019s wage growth since 2020: Are Europeans better off?<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/63\/90\/48\/1536x864_cmsv2_8af9e424-554c-514e-9ba2-2e63f35ac066-9639048.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"A person poses with euro banknotes withdrawn from an ATM in Sofia, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, as the country joins the euro currency union. \"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              A person poses with euro banknotes withdrawn from an ATM in Sofia, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, as the country joins the euro currency union.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Valentina Petrova<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Valentina Petrova\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspServet Yanatma\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1777093234\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-04-25 07:00:34 +02:00\">25\/04\/2026 &#8211; 7:00 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" 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loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Taking into account nominal growth and inflation, real hourly wages declined by 3% in the EU over the past five years. Wage growth was stronger in non-euro area countries and in those with lower wage levels.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--business js-article-content\">\n<p>Hourly gross wages and salaries rose from \u20ac21.5 in 2020 to \u20ac26.2 in 2025 in the EU, reflecting 21.9% growth. However, this does not account for inflation. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Consumer prices for goods and services increased by 25.6% over the same period. As a result, cumulative real wages declined by 3%, meaning households\u2019 purchasing power fell.<\/p>\n<p>So, how have wages and inflation evolved over the past five years across Europe? Which countries are the winners and losers in real terms since 2020?<\/p>\n<p>Among 30 European countries, real wages and salaries declined in 12, while they increased in 18, according to Eurostat data, based on Euronews calculations. The figures are based on gross wages and salaries in national currencies.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Leading countries were outside the euro area<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Bulgaria is the clear winner, with real wages rising by 37.4% between 2020 and 2025 in cumulative terms. <\/p>\n<p>In Bulgaria, a law requiring the minimum wage to be at least 50% of the average gross wage came into effect in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Serbia (25.4%), Croatia (21.1%) and Lithuania (21.1%) also recorded increases of more than 20%.<\/p>\n<p>The top three countries were not part of the euro area in 2020. As some countries joined between 2020 and 2025, the euro area grouping is based on its 2020 composition.<\/p>\n<p>Another three non-euro countries \u2014 Romania (19.7%), Hungary (18.8%) and Poland (17.8%) \u2014 also recorded real growth of between 15% and 20%.<\/p>\n<p>Within the euro area, Slovenia (14.4%), Latvia (10.6%) and Greece (8.6%) also saw significant increases over the period.<\/p>\n<p>In half of European countries, real wages changed between -5% and 5%, indicating relatively small variations.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>All \u2018Big Four\u2019 see real wage declines<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Within the EU\u2019s top four economies, real wages declined in all. Italy saw the largest drop at 9.2%, followed by Spain at 5.9%. Germany (-3.2%) and France (-3.3%) were slightly below the EU average.<\/p>\n<p>Italy also recorded the highest decline across Europe. <\/p>\n<p>As wages are gross, tax changes can affect the real outcome. Lower taxes may mean higher take-home gains, while higher taxes can reduce them over this period. Take-home ratios largely vary across Europe. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Understanding country differences: The \u201ccatch-up\u201d effect<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Nominal wage growth needs to exceed inflation to result in a positive real change. However, the level of wages also affects real growth figures. This is known as the \u201ccatch-up\u201d effect.<\/p>\n<p>Bulgaria had the lowest hourly wages in 2025, while Hungary and Romania were also among the five lowest. <\/p>\n<p>Economically, it is easier for a country to increase wages from \u20ac5.7 in 2020 to \u20ac10.5 in 2025, as in Bulgaria, than for a country like Germany to grow from \u20ac28.6 to \u20ac34.5. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Inflation and nominal growth<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Looking at consumer inflation and nominal wage growth in the same chart is another way to assess trends in real terms.<\/p>\n<p>Cumulatively, several countries recorded strong nominal wage growth of over 60% since 2020. <\/p>\n<p>The highest increases were in Bulgaria (84.2%), Hungary (82.7%) and Romania (73.1%). However, inflation was also very high in these countries \u2014 34.1%, 53.7% and 44.6%, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, Italy saw the lowest nominal rise at 9.5%, followed by Malta (13.3%) and France (14.1%). Although inflation was below the EU average in these countries, wage growth still did not keep pace with it.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Which countries pay the most and least?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While real changes in wages are important, the level also matters, as hourly wages vary widely across these 30 countries. <\/p>\n<p>As of 2025, Bulgaria has the lowest wage at \u20ac10.5 while Luxembourg has the highest at \u20ac49.7. <\/p>\n<p>This means that although Bulgaria is closing the gap, a significant difference in wage levels remains between the two countries.<\/p>\n<p>In general, wages are highest in Northern and Western Europe and lowest in Eastern Europe as the chart above shows. <\/p>\n<p>Even among the EU\u2019s largest economies, the wage gap is striking. As of 2025, Germany (\u20ac34.5) offers the highest gross hourly wages, while Spain (\u20ac19.5) has the lowest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2866947-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2866947\" data-cid=\"9634734\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2866947-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/63\/47\/34\/480x270_cmsv2_4081cb01-e3c4-57c7-bc4c-724d0ab76479-9634734.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A person poses with euro banknotes withdrawn from an ATM in Sofia, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, as the country joins the euro currency union.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Business<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Minimum wages in 2026: Who earns the most in Europe?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2802058-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2802058\" data-cid=\"9291819\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2802058-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/29\/18\/19\/480x270_cmsv2_95f1f464-e512-51cb-a867-04bb4cef8362-9291819.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The ratio of net to gross salaries varies significantly across Europe.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Take-home pay across Europe: What&#8217;s left after taxes?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2779860-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2779860\" data-cid=\"9166930\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2779860-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/06\/37\/90\/480x270_cmsv2_93c31ccb-7737-5710-96b6-3cd2ab28b30e-9063790.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Frankfurt - file photo\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Labour costs across Europe: Where are they highest and lowest?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    real increse<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    salaries<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    wages<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<p>    Inflation<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2887680-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2887680\" data-cid=\"9731555\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2887680-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/72\/91\/60\/320x180_cmsv2_2fc83544-89cb-5e25-b96f-be4d9c3337c2-9729160.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\" Syrian firefighters use a bulldozer to extinguish the flames of a gas pipeline that was hit by an explosion, between the suburbs of Adra and Damir, northeast of Damascus, Syria, on Monday 24 August 2020\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iran war sparks push to transform Syria into global energy corridor<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2888672-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888672\" data-cid=\"9734539\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888672-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/45\/39\/320x180_cmsv2_5d7b3cc5-aa4d-58cc-b4b3-841cf024f33a-9734539.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, addresses the media during a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany, 19 March 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    ECB rate dilemma: Eurozone growth stalls as Iran war fuels inflation<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2888646-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888646\" data-cid=\"9734366\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888646-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/43\/66\/320x180_cmsv2_1f5a4ab4-1ea5-5c3b-a3ff-9d1fa6e2afde-9734366.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. 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id=\"abe-2802058-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/29\/18\/19\/480x270_cmsv2_95f1f464-e512-51cb-a867-04bb4cef8362-9291819.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The ratio of net to gross salaries varies significantly across Europe.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Take-home pay across Europe: What&#8217;s left after taxes?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2779860-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2779860\" data-cid=\"9166930\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2779860-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/45\/39\/320x180_cmsv2_5d7b3cc5-aa4d-58cc-b4b3-841cf024f33a-9734539.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, addresses the media during a press conference in Frankfurt, Germany, 19 March 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    ECB rate dilemma: Eurozone growth stalls as Iran war fuels inflation<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888646-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888646\" data-cid=\"9734366\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888646-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/43\/66\/320x180_cmsv2_1f5a4ab4-1ea5-5c3b-a3ff-9d1fa6e2afde-9734366.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE. A sign mark's the entrance to Intel's Hawthorne Farm Campus in Hillsboro, Oregon, Jul. 2010\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Intel shares soar 20% as AI demand fuels first quarter earnings beat<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888638-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888638\" data-cid=\"9734310\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888638-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/43\/10\/320x180_cmsv2_50e62a15-fab2-533a-9961-bfbb7e4b83ca-9734310.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Facebook unveiled their new Meta sign at the company headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., on, Oct. 28, 2021. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Meta axes 8,000 jobs to fund AI spending, Microsoft to follow suit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888278-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888278\" data-cid=\"9732334\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2888278-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/73\/23\/34\/320x180_cmsv2_2070ae24-9676-57be-b490-729836abbf19-9732334.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The skyline of Oslo with the Munch Museum in center photographed in Oslo, Norway, Thursday, 8 December 2022. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Richest countries in 2026: France and Germany fail to make the top 10<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888278-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888278\" data-cid=\"9732334\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Richest countries in 2026: France and Germany fail to make the top 10<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888301-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888301\" data-cid=\"9732423\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tesla profits up as Musk shifts focus to robotaxis<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888357-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888357\" data-cid=\"9732652\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    EV sales spike nearly 50% in March amid Iran war energy shortage fears<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2886836-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2886836\" data-cid=\"9725051\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Which European countries will be the richest by 2030?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2888429-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2888429\" data-cid=\"9733076\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ukraine\u2019s richest man buys Monaco apartment in record \u20ac471m deal<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Hourly gross wages and salaries rose from \u20ac21.5 in 2020 to \u20ac26.2 in 2025 in the EU, reflecting 21.9% growth. However, this does not account for inflation.Consumer prices for goods and services increased by 25.6% over the same period. As a result, cumulative real wages declined by 3%, meaning households\u2019 purchasing power fell.So, how have wages and inflation evolved over the past five years across Europe? Which countries are the winners and losers in real terms since 2020?Among 30 European countries, real wages and salaries declined in 12, while they increased in 18, according to Eurostat data, based on Euronews calculations. The figures are based on gross wages and salaries in national currencies.Leading countries were outside the euro areaBulgaria is the clear winner, with real wages rising by 37.4% between 2020 and 2025 in cumulative terms.\u00a0In Bulgaria, a law requiring the minimum wage to be at least 50% of the average gross wage came into effect in 2023.Serbia (25.4%), Croatia (21.1%) and Lithuania (21.1%) also recorded increases of more than 20%.The top three countries were not part of the euro area in 2020. As some countries joined between 2020 and 2025, the euro area grouping is based on its 2020 composition.Another three non-euro countries \u2014 Romania (19.7%), Hungary (18.8%) and Poland (17.8%) \u2014 also recorded real growth of between 15% and 20%.Within the euro area, Slovenia (14.4%), Latvia (10.6%) and Greece (8.6%) also saw significant increases over the period.In half of European countries, real wages changed between -5% and 5%, indicating relatively small variations.All \u2018Big Four\u2019 see real wage declinesWithin the EU\u2019s top four economies, real wages declined in all. Italy saw the largest drop at 9.2%, followed by Spain at 5.9%. Germany (-3.2%) and France (-3.3%) were slightly below the EU average.Italy also recorded the highest decline across Europe.\u00a0As wages are gross, tax changes can affect the real outcome. Lower taxes may mean higher take-home gains, while higher taxes can reduce them over this period. Take-home ratios largely vary across Europe.\u00a0Understanding country differences: The \u201ccatch-up\u201d effectNominal wage growth needs to exceed inflation to result in a positive real change. However, the level of wages also affects real growth figures. This is known as the \u201ccatch-up\u201d effect.Bulgaria had the lowest hourly wages in 2025, while Hungary and Romania were also among the five lowest.Economically, it is easier for a country to increase wages from \u20ac5.7 in 2020 to \u20ac10.5 in 2025, as in Bulgaria, than for a country like Germany to grow from \u20ac28.6 to \u20ac34.5.\u00a0Inflation and nominal growthLooking at consumer inflation and nominal wage growth in the same chart is another way to assess trends in real terms.Cumulatively, several countries recorded strong nominal wage growth of over 60% since 2020.The highest increases were in Bulgaria (84.2%), Hungary (82.7%) and Romania (73.1%). However, inflation was also very high in these countries \u2014 34.1%, 53.7% and 44.6%, respectively.In contrast, Italy saw the lowest nominal rise at 9.5%, followed by Malta (13.3%) and France (14.1%). Although inflation was below the EU average in these countries, wage growth still did not keep pace with it.Which countries pay the most and least?While real changes in wages are important, the level also matters, as hourly wages vary widely across these 30 countries.As of 2025, Bulgaria has the lowest wage at \u20ac10.5 while Luxembourg has the highest at \u20ac49.7.\u00a0This means that although Bulgaria is closing the gap, a significant difference in wage levels remains between the two countries.In general, wages are highest in Northern and Western Europe and lowest in Eastern Europe as the chart above shows.\u00a0Even among the EU\u2019s largest economies, the wage gap is striking. As of 2025, Germany (\u20ac34.5) offers the highest gross hourly wages, while Spain (\u20ac19.5) has the lowest.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2026\/04\/25\/europes-wage-growth-since-2020-are-europeans-better-off&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/63\/90\/48\/1200x675_cmsv2_8af9e424-554c-514e-9ba2-2e63f35ac066-9639048.jpg&#8221;] Earth News Central Asian countries collaborate to push green energy transition Top News Stories Today Latest news bulletin | April 25th, 2026 \u2013 Midday Culture news Rare Pablo Neruda book on Spanish Civil War to go on display in Chile No Comment West Bank and part of Gaza vote in first municipal [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1902959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1902959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1902959"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1902959\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1902959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1902959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1902959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}