Wages in Portugal rising above EU average

Portugal has the 10th lowest average wage in the European Union; however, wages have been rising and grew by 7% in 2024, above the 5.2% increase at the European level.

Portuguese companies forecasting salary increases

The average annual salary of a full-time worker in Portugal was €24,818 in 2024, below the median €39,800 in the European Union (EU). Despite remaining among the 10 countries with the lowest wages, salaries rose above the European average last year, according to Eurostat data.

Data published by the EU statistical office, Eurostat, shows that last year the average annual adjusted full-time wage for workers in the EU was €39,800, representing a 5.2% increase compared to the €37,800 recorded in 2023.

In the case of Portugal, wages registered an annual growth of 7%, compared to the average wage of €23,184 in 2023. In 2022, the average value was €21,131.

Portugal is therefore the 10th country with the lowest average annual salary, surpassed by countries such as Bulgaria (15,387), Greece (17,954), Hungary (18,461), Slovakia (20,287), Romania (21,108), Poland (21,246), Latvia (22,262), Croatia (23,446) and the Czech Republic (23,998).

Across the EU, the highest adjusted average annual full-time salary was recorded in Luxembourg (83,000 euros), followed by Denmark (71,600 euros) and Ireland (61,100 euros).

The Average wages or increases are rather useless for most workers in Western nations with disproportionate upper earners. Median wages and increases are much more important.

By Steve from Algarve on 14 Nov 2025, 11:51

I believe your headline is misleading perhaps due to a bad translation. What you mean is that the wages were not "above" the European average (24k < 39K) but that the rise (growth) was faster than the average growth in Europe. This is basic maths on averages and the distinction is critical to understanding the article.

By Rob de Santos from Algarve on 14 Nov 2025, 12:08