INS: The average net salary fell to 5,688 lei in August, down 2.3% compared with July 2026

Romania’s average net wage fell in August 2026 to 5,688 lei, by 132 lei, or 2.3%, compared with the previous month, according to data published by the National Institute of Statistics. At the same time, the average net wage increased by 5.6% compared with August 2025, but the increase was surpassed by inflation of 6.2%.

In real terms, the purchasing power of wages decreased. The real wage earnings index was 99.5% compared with August 2025 and 97.5% compared with July 2026.

The highest average net wages were recorded in IT programming and consultancy, at 13,010 lei, and in the extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas, at 11,760 lei. At the opposite end were other service activities, at 2,985 lei, and fishing and aquaculture, at 2,998 lei.