Only 8 of 29 European countries raised minimum wage in 2026

The European Union's statistical office, Eurostat, released minimum wage data for the second half of 2026, revealing that only eight out of 29 European countries increased their gross minimum wage between January and July 2026.

Over the same period, consumer inflation in the euro area stood at 3.2%.

As of July 2026, Luxembourg has the highest gross monthly minimum wage in Europe at €2,771, while within the European Union (EU), Bulgaria has the lowest at €620. When EU candidate countries are included, Ukraine has the lowest at €169.

Five European countries have a gross monthly minimum wage above €2,000: Luxembourg (€2,771), Ireland (€2,391), Germany (€2,343), the Netherlands (€2,338), and Belgium (€2,234). Turkey's nominal gross monthly minimum wage is €621, placing it just above Bulgaria.

According to Eurostat, in purchasing power standards (PPS) terms, Germany has the highest minimum wage in Europe at 2,164 PPS, while Turkey's minimum wage in purchasing power terms is below 1,000 PPS. Minimum wages in Europe range from 705 PPS in Albania to 2,164 PPS in Germany.

According to Eurostat, the comparison between nominal and purchasing power rankings shows significant shifts. Romania and North Macedonia were the biggest gainers, both rising eight places, with Romania climbing from 20th to 12th and North Macedonia from 24th to 16th. Estonia experienced the biggest drop, falling 10 places from 16th to 26th. Estonia also has the lowest minimum wage in purchasing power terms within the EU at 935 PPS, closely followed by Latvia at 938 PPS.

According to Eurostat, North Macedonia (1,142 PPS) and Serbia (1,094 PPS) outperform seven EU countries in purchasing power terms, including Malta, Slovakia, Hungary, and Czechia.

Turkey stands out with the highest inflation rate in Europe, reaching 17.8% between December 2025 and June 2026, among the highest globally. It also has the highest share of minimum wage earners in Europe, at close to 40%.