Minimum wage in Europe in 2026: where do they pay the most and where does Ukraine rank?
18 February 09:43
As of January 2026, the minimum monthly wage in European Union countries ranges from €620 in Bulgaria to €2,704 in Luxembourg. If we also take into account the countries that are candidates for EU membership, the lowest minimum wage is in Ukraine — only €173 per month. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Euronews.
Thus, the gap between the lowest and highest minimum wages in Europe exceeds 15 times.
Overall, experts estimate that around 12.8 million workers in 22 European Union countries earn the minimum wage or less.
Where in Europe do they pay the most: minimum wage ranking
In Italy, Austria, and the three Scandinavian countries: Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, there is no minimum wage established by law.
The economically developed countries of Western Europe traditionally remain the leaders in terms of minimum wage levels.
Top 5 countries with the highest minimum wages:
- Luxembourg — €2,704
- Ireland — €2,391
- Germany — €2,343
- Netherlands — €2,295
- Belgium — €2,112
These countries have stable economies, high labor productivity, and significant social guarantees for workers.
For comparison:
- France — €1,823
- Spain — €1,381.
This shows that even among the developed economies of Europe, there are significant differences.
Less than €1,000 in half of European countries
Among the 29 countries — 22 EU members and seven candidates — the minimum wage is below €1,000 in 15 countries. All candidate countries for EU membership belong to this lowest group. It also includes several Eastern European countries.
For example, the minimum wage is:
- €924 in the Czech Republic,
- €838 in Hungary,
- €795 in Romania,
- €654 in Turkey,
- €517 in Albania.
Three candidate countries have higher minimum wages than Bulgaria.
Ukraine has the lowest minimum wage in Europe
Among all European countries and EU candidate countries, the lowest minimum wage is in Ukraine — €173.
For comparison:
- Moldova — €319
- Bulgaria — €620
Even in the poorest country in the European Union — Bulgaria — the minimum wage is more than three times higher than in Ukraine.
How minimum wages have changed in Europe
Between July 2025 and January 2026, the minimum wage remained unchanged in a number of EU countries, including:
- Belgium
- Estonia
- Greece
- Spain
- Luxembourg
- Slovenia
At the same time, the highest growth was recorded in:
- Bulgaria
- Hungary
- Lithuania
- Slovakia
In these countries, the minimum wage increased by more than 11%.
Real purchasing power: the difference is smaller than it seems
Experts note that nominal wages do not always reflect the real standard of living. An important indicator is purchasing power parity (PPP), which takes into account the cost of living.
After adjusting for purchasing power:
- the minimum wage in the EU ranges from 886 PPS in Estonia to 2157 PPS in Germany;
- some candidate countries look better than some EU countries;
- Romania rose from 20th to 12th place after adjustment;
- Serbia, Turkey, and North Macedonia also improved their positions.
What is the average salary in Ukraine?
Despite the low minimum wage, the average income in Ukraine is gradually increasing.
According to statistics, in December 2025, the average salary of full-time employees was UAH 30,926.
The highest average salaries were recorded in:
- Kyiv — 48,449 UAH
- Luhansk region — UAH 45,160
- Kyiv region — UAH 31,200
This indicates a significant gap between the minimum and average wages.
Ukraine remains the country with the lowest minimum wage in Europe — only €173 per month. For comparison, in Luxembourg, this figure exceeds €2,700. At the same time, real purchasing power and average wages are showing gradual growth, which gives grounds for cautious optimism about the future income of Ukrainians.
