Luxembourg Tops EU Average Salary Table
Eurostat's latest salary comparison places Luxembourg first, followed by Denmark and Ireland, with Belgium, Germany and France in the mid-to-upper ranks.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Employment
Live Poll
Do you feel your household's income is keeping pace with the cost of living?
Eurostat reported that Luxembourg has the highest average salary in the European Union, with an average annual salary of €85,600, or roughly €7,133 per month. Denmark ranks second at €73,500 per year.
Why it matters
The ranking gives a benchmark for how pay levels differ across the bloc, with the European average monthly salary at €3,455 well below the figures for the top-ranked countries. It helps workers and policymakers compare earnings across neighbouring economies.
Eurostat's full-time equivalent figures place Luxembourg at €85,600 per year and Denmark at €73,500, while the European average monthly salary is €3,455. Figures for sector breakdowns and cost-of-living adjustments were not included in the source data.
The players
Eurostat
Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union, responsible for publishing comparable economic and social data across member states.
General Inspectorate of Social Security (IGSS)
The IGSS is Luxembourg's national body overseeing social security data, which supplied the country's gross median salary figure.
The details
Eurostat calculates the averages from annual salaries per full-time equivalent employee. Luxembourg's gross median salary across all sectors is €4,960 per month, based on data from the General Inspectorate of Social Security (IGSS).
Timeline
Eurostat published the salary report on Friday, 6 November 2026.
Market Landscape
Eurostat's recurring salary series allows year-to-year comparison of full-time pay across EU member states. The latest release extends that series and shows Luxembourg, Denmark and Ireland at the top of the ranking.
For workers comparing job offers across borders, the figures show how much pay can differ between neighbouring EU countries. A €85,600 annual average in Luxembourg contrasts sharply with the €3,455 monthly European average, so relocation decisions depend heavily on local living costs.
The takeaway
Average salary rankings are a starting point, not the full picture. Comparing pay against local housing, tax and living costs gives a clearer sense of what a salary is worth in each country.
Further reading
For related coverage, see the Employment section.
Live Poll
Do you feel your household's income is keeping pace with the cost of living?
