The minimum wage in EU countries varies significantly. Among these countries, monthly minimum wages range from €399 in Bulgaria to €2,387 in Luxembourg.
Schengen area countries not only attract a huge number of tourists every year, but they are also attractive options for foreign workers looking for permanent residency. Several factors come into play including high living standards, low tax prices, and education systems.
However, if you are seriously harbouring the option, then it is extremely crucial to consider the minimum wage in each country, which varies significantly. Eurostat, the European Office for Statistics, reports that as of January 1, 2023, 22 out of the 27 EU member states had a national minimum wage. Among these countries, monthly minimum wages range from €399 in Bulgaria to €2,387 in Luxembourg.
In 2021, the net annual income of an average single worker without children was €24,947 in the EU differing from €6,952 in Bulgaria to €45,787 in Luxembourg, the report cited.
It also revealed that during the same year, the net annual income of an average working couple with two children stood at €53,364 in the EU, differing from €14,825 in Bulgaria to €101,065 in Luxembourg.
How much can you earn in each EU country?
EU states can be classified into three groups based on their minimum wage levels. Here’s how:
- Countries with a national minimum wage above €1,500 include Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and France.
- Countries with a minimum wage between €1,000 and €1,500 include Spain and Slovenia.
- National minimum wages lower than €1,000 per month include Portugal, Cyprus, Malta, Greece, Lithuania, Estonia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Latvia, Hungary, and Bulgaria.
Moreover, the proportion of employees earning the minimum wage varies among EU countries. In 2018, the proportion of employees earning less than 105% of the national minimum wage was highest in Slovenia (15.2%) and lowest in Spain (0.8%).
Eurostat notes that Denmark, Italy, Austria, Finland, and Sweden, as well as EFTA countries Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, do not have national minimum wage laws.
“As of 1 January 2023, there was no national minimum wage in Denmark, Italy, Austria, Finland and Sweden nor in the EFTA countries of Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. In all those countries, minimum wages are laid down by collective agreements for a range of specific sectors,” the statement of Eurostat reads.
