This marked a visible improvement from the 2.5% real contraction in July and the 5%–6% decline in real net wages recorded during the first part of the year compared with the same period of 2025.
In nominal terms, the average net wage reached RON 5,688 in August, equivalent to EUR 1,083, up 1.9% y/y in euro terms.
Excluding year-end and Easter bonuses, Romania’s average net wage has broadly stabilised in real terms over the past year, following the inflationary shock of July–August 2025, which pushed purchasing power down by 5%–6%.
A further increase is expected in January 2027, although this will depend on wage indexation in the public sector and the trajectory of headline inflation.
Over a longer horizon, Romania’s average net wage in real terms has remained around 10% above its 2019 average and 5% above its 2021 average, representing a modest but positive improvement in purchasing power. The recent correction followed unsustainable gains in 2024.