Moldova's low minimum wage and the cost of living
Despite a minimum wage increase in the Republic of Moldova from 5,000 to 5,500 lei, effective January 1, 2025, the country continues to have one of the lowest minimum wages
Several EU member states report minimum wages exceeding 2,000 euros per month, or around 39,000 lei.
Only five European countries currently report minimum wages above 2,000 euros. According to Euronews, citizens in Luxembourg earn a minimum wage of 2,704 euros (over 52,600 lei), followed by Ireland at 2,282 euros, the Netherlands at 2,246 euros, Germany at 2,161 euros, and Belgium at 2,112 euros.
Greece, Poland, and Spain fall into the mid-range category for minimum wages, with monthly minimum earnings between 1,000 and 1,500 euros.
The lower-range group, with minimum wages between 600 and 999 euros, includes Romania, which has a minimum wage of 797 euros.
Among the countries with a minimum wage below 600 euros, we find Bulgaria, a member of the EU. This group is largely made up of EU candidate countries such as North Macedonia, with a minimum wage of 584 euros, Turkey at 558 euros, Bulgaria at 551 euros, and the Republic of Moldova at 285 euros. The list ends with Ukraine, where the minimum wage is 164 euros.
How much money do Moldovans want for a decent living?
A young woman interviewed by journalists from “Zi de zi” told Radio Moldova that she would like to earn a monthly salary of over 20,000 lei. She said it’s very difficult to make ends meet, especially if you don’t own your own home.
Another interviewee told us that it’s not possible to earn a high salary at the beginning, as you have to grow gradually.
"I graduated from medical college and looked for a job, but the salaries were so meager that I didn't take one."
Other interviewees also stated that they would like to have monthly salaries of over 20,000 lei.
They noted that even though salaries have increased in Moldova in recent years, prices have also gone up.
Many of the interviewees we spoke with, however, pointed out that "if you work, you can make money in Moldova too."
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the average monthly income for Moldovans in 2024 was 5,283 lei per person, while expenses were 4,407 lei.
It's worth noting that the average monthly salary in the first quarter of this year was 14,567 lei, higher than in 2024, when it was 14,096 lei.
Translation by Iurie Tatarru
