Average wages in Slovakia fell in real terms for the first time in two and a half years in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Statistical Office.
According to the agency, after adjusting for inflation, average wages were 0.5% lower than a year earlier. This means that wage growth was not sufficient to offset the increase in prices. At the same time, nominal wages continued to rise, with the average reaching €1,707, up 3.2% from the second quarter of 2025. This annual growth rate was the lowest recorded in the past six years.
In the second quarter, average wages fell year-on-year in three of the 19 economic sectors monitored. These included the public sector, as well as education and water supply. When inflation is taken into account, however, real wages declined in seven sectors. At the same time, real earnings continued to grow in industry, one of the key sectors of the Slovak economy.
The Statistical Office also recorded a further increase in the number of unemployed people in the country. In the second quarter of 2026, their number reached 152,800, an increase of 5.8% year-on-year.
