Romania's average net salary falls in May 2026

The National Institute of Statistics reported that Romania's average net monthly salary in May 2026 was 5,684 lei, a decline of 159 lei (‑2.7%) from April. The average gross salary fell to 9,483 lei, down 257 lei (‑2.6%). Real wages measured against inflation were 93.1% of May 2025 levels and 96.7% of April 2026 levels.

The highest‑paid sectors were information technology (13,150 lei) and oil and gas extraction (12,405 lei). The lowest‑paid sectors were fishing and aquaculture (2,863 lei) and other services (2,895 lei). The drop from April is attributed to the disappearance of one‑off bonuses that had temporarily boosted salaries. Some sectors posted sharp declines, notably insurance (‑29.8%) and oil & gas (‑20%). Conversely, metal ore extraction saw a 22.4% increase.

In the public sector, salaries rose in education (+2.4%) and public administration (+0.5%) but fell slightly in health and social assistance (‑0.5%). Compared with May 2025, the net salary was up 3.2%, but purchasing power remained lower both month‑on‑month and year‑on‑year.