Poland average wages see monthly decline in August 2026

In August 2026, the average monthly gross salary in Poland's enterprise sector was 9,259.54 PLN, which translates to approximately 6,642 PLN net. While this represents a 5.6% increase compared to the same period last year, it marks a 2.6% decrease from July 2026. According to Statistics Poland (GUS), this monthly decline was driven by a lower volume of additional payments, such as quarterly, annual, and discretionary bonuses, as well as jubilee awards and retirement severance pay.

Simultaneously, employment data indicates a contraction in the labor market. Average employment in the enterprise sector fell to 6.4 million positions in August 2026, a 0.2% decrease from July and a 0.8% decline compared to August 2025.

Despite rising nominal wages, economic discussions highlight the impact of lifestyle inflation—a phenomenon where increased spending on higher-standard goods and services offsets income gains. This is compounded by broader inflationary pressures, with recent estimates showing a 4% year-on-year increase in general prices and a 36.1% rise in fuel costs.