Based on Eurostat data, Euronews estimated that 12.8 million workers in 22 EU nations make the minimum wage or less. As a result, millions are monitoring minimum wage announcements attentively to see whether they will get a decent rise in the new year. However, roughly a third of minimum wage earners saw no raise as of January 2026 compared to July 2025. In four countries, there has been no rise at all during the past year.
So, as of January 2026, which European countries have the highest minimum wages? How much are these wages worth in purchasing power terms? And how do the rankings alter when comparing nominal euro amounts with purchasing power?
Fifteen of the twenty-nine nations (seven aspirants and twenty-two EU members) have minimum wages below €1,000. All EU candidate countries come under this lowest tier. Several Eastern European countries are also featured. For example, the minimum salary stands at €924 in Czechia, €838 in Hungary, €795 in Romania, €654 in Turkey and €517 in Albania. Three potential countries have higher minimum wages than Bulgaria.
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