The figures underline the deep wage inequalities that persist across the bloc, with a pronounced gap between northern and western European countries and their southern and eastern counterparts.
Greece recorded an average annual salary of €18,000 in 2024, placing it second from the bottom among the 27 EU member states. Only Bulgaria, with an average of €15,400, reported lower pay levels. Hungary followed closely behind Greece, with an annual average of €18,500. These figures highlight the ongoing challenges faced by economies in Europe’s periphery, where wages remain significantly below the EU average despite years of modest growth and recovery.
At the top of the ranking, Luxembourg continues to lead with an average annual salary of €83,000, followed by Denmark at €71,600 and Ireland at €61,100. The data reveal that workers in Greece earn roughly one-fourth of what employees in Luxembourg make, and less than half the EU average. This stark contrast underscores both the economic disparities between member states and the differing levels of productivity, cost of living, and social protection across Europe.
While Greece has seen gradual improvements in employment and economic output since the debt crisis of the previous decade, wage growth has remained sluggish. Inflationary pressures and a high cost of living have further eroded purchasing power, leaving many households struggling to make ends meet despite the nominal rise in salaries.
