The minimum wage in Romania in 2026: a significant increase and its impact on employees
On 1 July 2026, the minimum wage in Romania will increase by 7% to RON 4.325,00 gross (around EUR 825.60 gross). This increase benefits more than one million Romanian employees.
The increase in the minimum wage: a European context
The increase in Romania's minimum wage is not an isolated measure, but part of a wider European context. According to European Union regulations, the minimum wage must represent between 47% and 52% of the average European wage. For Romania, the percentage set for 2025 will be 47%. This means that, although the Romanian minimum wage is not yet at the level of the European average wage, it will get closer and closer as the economies of European countries continue to grow.
What does this increase mean for employees?
The gross minimum wage will reach RON 4,325.00 in 2026, an increase of 7% compared with RON 4.050,00 in 2024. In addition to this increase, the tax exemption for the first RON 200.00 of the minimum wage is maintained (a measure that allows employees to keep part of their income tax-free).
After payment of social security contributions and taxes, the net minimum wage received by an employee paid the Romanian minimum wage is around RON 2,574.00 (around EUR 491.00 net). This represents a significant increase on previous years, helping Romanian households to cover their living expenses and increasing the purchasing power of minimum wage earners.
Changes in the minimum wage since 2024
This 7% increase in 2026 comes just a few months after a 12% increase in January 2025.
Average gross wages in EUR by departments per month
| Department | Gross January 2026 | Net January 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Bucuresti (B) | ± 2.260,00 | ± 1.350,00 |
| Sibiu (SB) | ± 1.835,00 | ± 1.100,00 |
| Mehedinti (MH) | ± 1.460,00 | ± 880,00 |
| Vâlcea (VL) | ± 1375,00 | ± 825,00 |
| Satu Mare (SM) | ± 1410,00 | ± 850,00 |
| Ilfov (IF) | ± 1795,00 | ± 1080,00 |
| Caraş-Severin (CS) | ± 1420,00 | ± 850,00 |
| Giurgiu (GR) | ± 1380,00 | ± 830,00 |
| Bacău (BC) | ± 1460,00 | ± 870,00 |
| Hunedoara (HD) | ± 1330,00 | ± 795,00 |
| Olt (OT) | ± 1575,00 | ± 950,00 |
| Alba (AB) | 8.162 | 4.909 |
| Vrancea (VN) | 6.906 | 4.139 |
| Prahova (PH) | 8.311 | 4.985 |
| Neamţ (NT) | 7.360 | 4.380 |
| Harghita (HR) | 7.230 | 4.332 |
| Brăila (BR) | 7.444 | 4.448 |
| Braşov (BV) | 8.777 | 5.245 |
| Covasna (CV) | 7.355 | 4.417 |
| Galaţi (GL) | 8.181 | 4.917 |
| Buzău (BZ) | 7.523 | 4.514 |
| Argeş (AG) | 8.498 | 5.120 |
| Cluj (CJ) | 10.951 | 6.532 |
| Dâmboviţa (DB) | 7.613 | 4.563 |
| Iaşi (IS) | 8.868 | 5.295 |
| Timiş (TM) | 9.880 | 5.904 |
| Arad (AR) | 7.920 | 4.754 |
| Teleorman (TR) | 7.048 | 4.183 |
| Călăraşi (CL) | 7.437 | 4.443 |
| Vaslui (VS) | 6.898 | 4.147 |
| Dolj (DJ) | 8.083 | 4.826 |
| Mureş (MS) | 8.450 | 5.060 |
| Bihor (BH) | 7.567 | 4.524 |
| Tulcea (TL) | 7.625 | 4.554 |
| Sălaj (SJ) | 7.547 | 4.539 |
| Suceava (SV) | 6.951 | 4.174 |
| Ialomiţa (IL) | 7.473 | 4.470 |
| Gorj (GJ) | 7.971 | 4.743 |
| Maramureş (MM) | 7.119 | 4.289 |
| Bistriţa-Năsăud (BN) | 7.076 | 4.261 |
| Constanţa (CT) | 8.106 | 4.847 |
| Botoşani (BT) | 6.863 | 4.123 |
| Nationwide Average | 9.220 | 5.518 |
On 9 June 2026, 1,00 EUR = 5,23 RON
