In 2021, the average hourly labour costs in the whole economy were estimated to be EUR 29.1 in the European Union and EUR 32.8 in the euro area, up to EUR 28.6 and EUR 32.4, respectively, in 2020.

The average hourly labour costs mask significant gaps between the EU member states, with the lowest hourly labour costs recorded in Bulgaria (EUR 7.0) and Romania (EUR 8.5) and the highest in Denmark (EUR 46.9), Luxembourg (EUR 43.0) and Belgium (EUR 41.6).

In Romania, for an average labour cost of EUR 8.5 per hour, the cost of labour was half of that in Greece and a quarter of that in Germany. 

(Photo: Robbiverte/ Dreamstime)

andrei@romania-insider.com