Poles earning more than Czechs

Wages in Poland, when converted to euros, are rising rapidly—by about 14.2% y/y, far outpacing the EU average of 4.2%. Over the past five years, average hourly wages in Poland have surged 80%, boosting the country’s real exchange rate and global purchasing power. As a result, Poland has now surpassed countries like Czechia, Slovakia, Latvia, and Estonia in wage levels.

While such growth could undermine export competitiveness, the overall trade surplus remains strong at €27 billion, though it has nearly halved in a year. For now, businesses appear resilient, but future wage growth may need to slow, or the złoty may depreciate to restore balance. Pressure is also mounting for immigration reform to ease labor costs.

(pb.pl)