Average salary in Spain hits 27,000 euros a year and it is under pressure from inflation | Sur in English

Wages for Spanish workers have risen at the fastest rate for years recently. However, the salary they receive at the end of the month still leaves a lot to be desired, especially due to the impact of rising prices.

The average wage in Spain rose by 4.1% in 2022 – according to official data – to 26,948 euros a year. However, this rise was half the increase in the cost of living over the same period, when prices rose at a rate of more than 8%.

Beyond the loss of purchasing power suffered by Spaniards due to the inflationary crisis, the latest salary data reveals some extremes. For example, in 2022, 17% of workers earned at most the minimum wage, which was 14,000 euros per year, while 48% earned between one and two times the minimum wage. Adding the two percentages together, almost two out of three workers earned less than 2,000 euros per month.