Wages in Romania slow down but keep rising in real terms

The net average wage in Romania rose by 5.1% in February compared to the same month of 2020 to RON 3,365 (EUR 687), visibly losing momentum from the 6.5% annual growth in January and 8.4% in December.

In real terms, the annual growth shrank three-fold to 1.8% yoy from 6.5% yoy in December.

The strongest wage rise was recorded in the tobacco processing industry (+29% yoy), a sector surpassed by only a couple of other industries, including the IT industry, in terms of incomes.

In February, the average net income in the tobacco processing industry was, ironically, 78% above that in the healthcare sector: RON 7,446 (EUR 1,520) versus RON 4,150 (EUR 847).

The average wages in education were roughly half those in the tobacco industry.

The employees in the IT industry earn 8.1% more than those in the tobacco processing sector, while those in the automobile producing industry (over 40% of the country’s exports and a net trade surplus for the sector) are just before half of those in the tobacco processing industry - hence just below the school teachers’ wages.

The average net salary in the construction sector, which generates among the highest profit margins for investors, is not far from that in the automobile industry: RON 3,126 (EUR 638).

(Photo: Shutterstock)