Average hourly labour costs increased to €34.9 in the European Union (EU) and €38.2 in the eurozone in 2025, ranging from €12 in Bulgaria to €56.8 in Luxembourg.
According to data released by Eurostat, this represents a 4.1% increase from the €33.5 average in the 27 EU member states in 2024, and a 3.8% rise from €36.8 in the eurozone over the same period.
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Among EU countries, the highest average hourly labour costs were recorded in Luxembourg (€56.8), Denmark (€51.7), and the Netherlands (€47.9), while the lowest were in Bulgaria (€12.0), Romania (€13.6), and Hungary (€15.2).
Portugal reported an average of €19.4 per hour, up from €18.2 in 2024, ranking third among the 11 EU countries with the lowest average labour costs, after Slovakia and the Czech Republic (€19.8 each).
