The average net wage in Romania increased by 14.1% y/y to RON 4,973 (EUR 1,000) in Q1, after the earnings in March surprisingly exceeded those in December – seasonally boosted by yearend bonuses, according to data published by the statistics office INS.

The higher net wages in March were in the tobacco processing industry (RON 13,250/EUR 2,650 on average) after a +20.6% y/y advance – the industry overthrowing the supremacy of the IT sector where the net wage returned to above-average growth (+16% y/y to RON 12,653/EUR 2,500) in the month. 

The wages in education marked the steepest advance in March: +32% y/y to RON 5,700 (EUR 1,140) after the government enforced the promised wage hikes.

In real terms, the average net wage in Q1 increased by 6.5% y/y – a growth rate still slower compared to the +8.6% y/y real increase reported in Q4 last year but higher than the average +4.4% y/y real advance of the average net salary in 2023.

In euros, the net average wage increased by +12.8% y/y in Q1 this year, down from higher rates in 2023: 14.7% in Q4, 14.1% in Q3, 15.4% in Q2 and 15.8% in Q1 (with an average of 15.0% y/y in full year).

iulian@romania-insider.com

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