Gross salary at 1 831 euro in Q1 2026

Central Statistical Bureau provisional data¹ show that in Q1 2026 average monthly gross wages and salaries stood at 1 831 euro (in full-time units), representing a rise of 73 euro or 4.2 % compared with Q1 2025. Hourly earnings increased to 11.87 euro or by 2.3 %.

From 1 January 2026, the minimum monthly wage in Latvia increased from 740 to 780 euro, while the non-taxable minimum was set at 550 euro per month.

Compared with Q4 2025, the average gross monthly earnings reduced by 1.6 % and hourly earnings by 6.6 %. 

Average monthly net earnings reached 1 364 euro

The average wages and salaries after taxes amounted to 1 364 euro (representing 75.0 % of the gross earnings) and compared with Q1 2025 grew by 4.5 %, thus overtaking the climb in both consumer prices and gross earnings. The real increase in the net earnings, considering the price rise, was 1.6 %.

Median monthly earnings at 1 457 euro

The gross median² wages and salaries amounted to 1 457 euro (in full-time units). Year on year, they increased by 53 euro, representing a rise of 3.8 % (from 1 403 euro in Q1 2025). The net median earnings (after taxes) stood at 1 128 euro and grew by 4.8 % year on year.

Average earnings in public sector at 1 834 euro and in private at 1 839 euro 

Public sector saw higher year-on-year rise in the average earnings than the private sector – up by 4.6 % and 4.1 %, respectively, representing a 0.5 percentage point difference.

The average monthly earnings before taxes in the public sector stood at 1 834 euro, while in the private sector they were 5 euro higher, at 1 839 euro.        

Apart from the rise or decline in the remuneration 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.

Compared with Q1 2025, the estimated national wage and salary fund grew by 5.9 %, or by 220 million euro, and the number of salaried workers rose by 11.4 thousand people or 1.6 % (in full-time units). 

Administrative and support service activities recorded the sharpest rise in the average earnings, of 7.8 % compared with Q1 2025. Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities follow with 7.6 %, and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply as well as education with 7.4 % each.

Highest-paying economic activities3: financial activities, information and communication 

Highest-paying economic activities recorded in Q1 2026 were financial and insurance activities (with the average gross monthly earnings in full-time units at 3 400 euro), telecommunication, computer programming, consulting, computing infrastructure and other information service activities (3 240 euro), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (2 567 euro), professional, scientific and technical activities (2 356 euro), publishing, broadcasting, and content production and distribution activities (2 107 euro), public administration and defence; compulsory social security (2 052 euro), mining and quarrying (1 984 euro), as well as well as water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities (1 833 euro).

The lowest gross earnings were registered in accommodation and food service activities (1 175 euro).

The highest average earnings recorded in Riga region

The highest average gross earnings (in full-time units) were recorded in Riga region, at 2 011 euro, while the lowest in Latgale, at 1 287 euro. Riga and Latgale had the greatest earnings gap – 36.0 %.

Hourly earnings reached 11.87 euro

The gross hourly earnings amounted to 11.87 euro, representing a rise of 2.3 % compared with Q1 2025 (up from 11.60 euro). 

Hourly labour costs (which include wages and salaries as well as other labour-related expenses of the employer) grew from 14.63 euro in Q1 2025 to 14.95 euro in Q1 2026 (by 2.1 %). 

Methodological information

¹ Average earnings are calculated from working-day and seasonally unadjusted data, which are converted into full-time units.

² Median is the value that separates the higher half from the lower half of a dataset arranged in ascending or descending order. It represents the middle point, dividing the indicators into two equal parts. Median earnings are usually lower than the arithmetic mean (average wages and salaries).  The difference between the median and the mean indicated the degree of asymmetry in the earnings distribution. If the distribution is completely symmetrical, the median and the mean are equal.

The earnings statistics is produced based on the results of a sample survey conducted among private companies, sole proprietors, central and local government bodies, foundations, associations and funds, as well as administrative data.

In the Central Statistical Bureau earnings statistics, public sector includes central and local government bodies, companies and other entities in which central or local government holds 50% or more of the capital or exercises control, and excludes foundations, associations, and funds, and the companies they own or control.

The breakdown of the earnings statistics by territorial unit is based on the address of the company’s registered office.

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

³ As of Q1 2026, economic activities in the average earnings statistics are classified according to the latest version of the statistical classification of economic activities, NACE Rev. 2.1.

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

In compliance with the EU Regulations, when compiling data on labour costs, gross earnings include also wage or salary 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 but nevertheless paid by the employer. Other labour costs include employer's social contributions (payments made by employers for the benefit of their employees to insurers, which cover statutory, conventional, contractual and voluntary contributions in respect of insurance against social risks or needs), gifts, sick pay (sick-leave certificate A), severance pay, State entrepreneurial risk fee.

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
Email: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

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