Average monthly earnings before taxes amounted to 1 757 euro

Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) data show that the average monthly gross wages and salaries stood at 1 757 euro in Q1 2025 (working day and seasonally non-adjusted data, in full-time units). Over the year, the average monthly earnings before taxes increased by 134 euro (8.3 %) and hourly earnings went up to 11.60 euro (by 8.9 %). Faster earnings growth was recorded in the private sector.

Compared to Q4 2024, average gross monthly earnings grew by 0.7 % and hourly earnings reduced by 2.4 %.

Average monthly earnings after taxes reached 1 305 euro

Average net wages and salaries (calculated based on the labour taxes applicable to employers) amounted to 1 305 euro (representing 74.3 % of the gross earnings) and over the year grew by 10.6 %, thus overtaking the climb in both consumer prices and gross earnings. The real increase in the net earnings, considering the price rise, was 7.0 %.

As of 1 January 2025, the national minimum wage increased from 700 to 740 euro (a rise of 5.7 %), income tax rates were revised, and the differentiated non-taxable minimum was replaced with a fixed amount, regardless of income level.

Median monthly earnings reached 1 403 euro

In Q1 2025, gross median 1 wages and salaries (in full-time units) amounted to 1 403 euro. Over the year, gross median earnings increased by 110 euro (a rise of 8.5 %, from 1 293 euro in Q1 2024). The net median earnings (after taxes) amounted to 1 076 euro and over the year have risen by 12.4 %.

Sharper annual upturn in private sector

In private sector, annual rise in the average earnings was 3.6 percentage points higher than in public (9.4 % and 5.8 % respectively).

In Q1 2025, average monthly earnings before taxes in public sector stood at 1 766 euro while in private were 13 euro lower – 1 753 euro. 

Apart from the rise or decline in the renumeration of employees, average earnings are also influenced by the labour force demand and supply trends as well as labour market structural changes. Generally, the mentioned factors cause changes in the wage and salary fund and in the number of full-time workers both of which are also used to calculate average earnings.

In Q1 2025, compared to Q1 2024, the estimated national wage and salary fund grew by 5.9 %, or by 208.9 million euro, while the number of salaried workers (in full-time units) reduced by 15.8 thousand people (2.2 %).

Highest-paying economic activities: financial activities, information and communication

In Q1 2025, average gross monthly earnings above the national average (in full-time units) were recorded in financial and insurance activities (3 222 euro), information and communication (2 809 euro), energy sector (2 390 euro), professional, scientific and technical activities (2 305 euro), public administration (1 997 euro), mining and quarrying (1 872 euro), as well as human health and social work activities (1 775 euro).

The lowest gross earnings were registered in accommodation and food service activities (1 116 euro).

The highest average earnings recorded in Riga and Riga region

The highest average gross earnings (in full-time units) were recorded in Riga region (1 943 euro) while the lowest in Latgale (1 259 euro). Riga and Latgale had the greatest earnings gap – 35.2 %.

Hourly earnings reached 11.60 euro

In Q1 2025, gross hourly earnings amounted to 11.60 euro. Over the year they have grown by 8.9 % (from 10.65 euro in Q1 2024).

Driven by a 5.4 % increase in the total labour costs and a 2.8 % drop in the hours worked, hourly labour costs (which include wages and salaries as well as other labour-related expenses of the employer) rose by 8.4 % over the year (from 13.50 to 14.64 euro).

Methodological information

¹ Median is a measure of central tendency that indicates the middle value in a distribution, i.e. the point at which half of the values are above and half are below. Typically, the median value of wage and salary indicators is lower than the arithmetic mean (average earnings). The difference between the median and the mean reflects the asymmetry of the distribution. If the distribution were perfectly symmetrical, the median and the mean would be the same.

The earnings statistics is produced based on the results of a sample survey conducted among merchants, state and local government institutions, foundations, associations and funds, as well as administrative data.

CSB average wage calculations for the public sector include central and local government institutions and commercial companies thereof, companies with central or local government capital participation of 50 % and over, excluding foundations, associations, funds, and commercial companies thereof.

According to the European System of Accounts, the general government sector includes central and local government institutions, social security fund, enterprises controlled and financed by the central and local governments.

Information on the average wages and salaries is broken down by region based on the address of the office or main activity of an enterprise or institution.

Median is calculated based on the information available in statistical surveys and administrative data of the State Revenue Service.

Average monthly and hourly earnings and change in hourly labour costs are calculated from not rounded figures.

In line with the European Union laws and regulations, when compiling data on labour costs, hourly wages and salaries include remuneration in kind (goods and services provided by the employer to employees free of charge or at a lower price, living quarters, mobile telephone, transport compensation, etc.) and exclude payment for the days not worked due to illness that is paid by the employer. Other labour costs include statutory social security contributions payable by the employer, employers’ contractual and voluntary social security contributions (additional pension insurance contributions, health and life insurance contributions, etc.), support payments from the employer, gifts, sick pay (sick-leave certificate A), severance pay, entrepreneurship state risk duty.

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666
stat.gov.lv; csp.gov.lv

More information on data:
Lija Luste
Business Statistics Methodology Section
E-mail: Lija.Luste@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366917