The national minimum wage is the lowest hourly or monthly pay that a specific country’s law allows employers to give employees. The minimum wage is set by the country’s government and varies by multiple economic factors, including inflation.
A nation’s minimum wage is important for employers and workers, as it prevents exploitation by ensuring a basic living standard and supports consumer spending power.
This guide offers in-depth details about Romania’s minimum wage in 2026, addressing the differences between the gross salary vs the net salary, while offering examples on various sectors and their specific minimum wages.
The article also includes a history of Romania’s minimum wage and comparisons with other EU countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Denmark, and Switzerland.
Definition and key points about the national minimum wage in Romania
A national minimum wage (gross salary) represents the lowest legally recognized amount per hour or per month that an employer can give employees.
The minimum wage in Romania is set by the country’s government, slightly varies between industries, and it’s adjusted periodically according to economic factors.
Key points about the minimum wage in Romania
The key points about the minimum wage in Romania include the following:
- Legal requirements – The national minimum wage represents a statutory wage floor for full-time (8 hours per day), which means that any agreements to pay less are generally not considered legal or valid (according to The Labour Code art.164, as revealed by Eurofundeuropa.eu)
- Minimum wage setting authority – The minimum wage is usually determined by the national government’s decision, which comes into force each year on the 1st of January; the minimum wage is set by the government after consulting with nationally representative employer and trade union confederations within the National Tripartite Council for Social Dialogue
- Periodical adjustments – The minimum wage in a country is reviewed and adjusted regularly in accordance with multiple economic factors, including inflation, economic health, and median wages
- Variations – The standard minimum wage is set as a standard for most sectors and industries, except for construction and agriculture
Criteria referred to in the minimum wage setting
Law 283/2024, which amends the Labour Code and transposes the European Directive of Adequate Minimum wages, stipulates that the Government sets the minimum wage via a procedure that includes the following criteria:
- The purchasing power of the minimum wage and the cost of living
- The general level of wages and the wage distribution
- Overall wage growth
- Level and evolution of labour productivity at the national level in the long term
Important notes about the minimum wage in Romania
There are some important aspects regarding the minimum wage set in Romania involving subminima, part-time work, education level, experience, and people with disabilities.
Subminima
There is no legal possibility for a full-time employee to earn less than the minimum wage. The only possibility for an employee to earn less than the minimum wage is by working part-time.
Part-time work
While the legal standard minimum wage applies to full-time work (8 hours per day), part-time workers must receive at least the hourly equivalent of the minimum wage based on hours worked. The per-hour minimum payment for part-time work is the same as in the case of full-time work.
For part-time workers, the minimum wage is calculated by multiplying the number of hours worked per month by the hourly minimum rate stipulated in the latest government decision.
Education level and experience
There is currently no legal differentiation in Romania for the statutory minimum wage based on level of education or studies completed. All employees, regardless of their degree of education, are paid the same minimum wage. However, employers can, and usually do offer higher salaries to employees who have more experience, skills, or seniority.
Employers can pay more for experience, create internal salary grids, or offer raises based on performance, seniority, or skills.
People with disabilities
There is no separate statutory minimum wage for disabled people under the standard minimum wage law. However, it’s important to highlight that their broader compensation or support systems are influenced by welfare and social law frameworks:
- Disability protections and income support are governed by Law 448/2006
- Disabled people can receive social benefits/indemnities
- Employers have special obligations and accommodations, like workspace adaptation, probation rules, equal opportunities, complementary budgets, assisting technologies, various allowances, and other benefits for people with disabilities
It’s also important to highlight that while the EU does not impose a higher minimum wage for disabled people, it does push various support mechanisms from the state, instead of the wage system:
- Income support/disability benefits
- Allowances and supplements
- Allowance for a personal assistant
- Tax reductions
- Transport and medical support
- Workplace accommodations
- Reduced working hours without loss of rights
- State subsidies for employers
What is the current national minimum wage in Romania?
In January 2026, the national minimum wage in Romania is approximately 4,050 RON per month (gross salary), a standard set in January 2025.
Starting July 1st, 2026, the minimum wage in Romania will be raised to 4,325 RON/month (gross salary).
Net minimum wage in Romania: How much do employees actually take home?
The amount of money that employees actually take home is called the net salary, and it’s calculated from the gross salary, folowing various taxes and contributions to the state.
The clear definitions of the gross salary vs the net salary are as follows:
- Gross salary – The salary written in the employer’s contract; it includes all taxes and contributions to the state (pension, healthcare)
- Net salary – The salary that employers actually take home, after all taxes and deductions
Romania taxes salaries mainly via employee contributions:
- Income tax of 10%
- CAS (pension) of 25%
- CASS (healthcare) of 10%
It’s important to note that for the minimum wage, 300 RON is exempt from taxes and contributions, according to OUG nr. 156/2024, until June 30, 2026. Also, in 2026, there is a personal deduction of 810 RON, according to the latest reports.
Step-by-step minimum net wage calculation
As of January 2026, the minimum gross salary in Romania is 4,050 RON or a little over 795 Euros.
The net salary is calculated as follows, according to Calculator-salarii.ro:
| Item | RON | € | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | 4,050 | 795.6 | Contracted monthly salary |
| 300 RON exemption | 300 | 58.93 | Minimum-wage tax exemption (Jan–June 2026) |
| CAS – Pension 25% | 938 | 184.26 | Social security contribution, calculated after exemption adjustment |
| CASS – Health 10% | 375 | 73.67 | Health insurance contribution |
| Personal allowance (DP) | 810 | 159.12 | Personal allowance, reduces taxable base for income tax |
| Income tax 10% (IV) | 163 | 32.02 | Applied after CAS, CASS, DP, and 300 RON exemption |
| Net salary | 2,574 | 505.65 | Take-home pay |
The total salary cost for the employer is the following:
| Item | RON | € | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAM – Work insurance 2.25% | 84 | 16.5 | Paid by employer |
| Salary cost for employer | 4,134 | 812.1 | Gross + employer contributions |
The total taxes paid to the state by both the employer and the employee are the following:
| Type | RON | € | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee taxes | 1,476 | 289.95 | CAS + CASS + Income tax |
| Employer taxes | 84 | 16.5 | CAM |
| Total taxes to state | 1,560 | 306.45 | Employee + employer contributions |
As a conclusion:
- To pay a net salary of 2,574 RON, the employer spends 4,134 RON
- The employee gets 62.26% of the gross salary
- The state receives 37.74% of the gross salary
The numbers above are in place until June 30, 2026.
Changes to the minimum gross salary in 2026
Starting July 1st, 2026:
- The minimum gross salary will grow to 4,325 RON
- The tax allowance will be 200 RON
- The personal allowance will be 865 RON
The minimum net salary will be 2,699 RON starting on July 1, 2026, according to the same calculations.
Exceptions from the minimum wage in Romania in 2026
A higher minimum wage for the construction industry was introduced in January 2019 via OUG 114/2018, art 71. The government increased the minimum wage for the construction sector to 4,582 RON (gross salary) for full-time work.
The key reasons why the construction sector is treated differently include the following:
- Keeping workers from leaving the country
- Reducing undeclared work
- Higher risks involved
- Special skills for workers
- Supporting the sector, which is considered strategic for the Romanian economy (infrastructure, housing, EU-funded projects)
Other exceptions from the standard minimum wage in Romania included the food and agriculture sectors and the IT sector, but differentiations were removed in 2025.
Minimum wage history in Romania
In recent history, since 2016, the minimum wage in Romania has seen some notable increases as follows:
| Date | Gross Minimum Wage (RON) | Gross in EUR (approx.) | % Change | Short Reason / Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 May 2016 | 1 250 | ~€275 | +19% | Post-crisis recovery, pressure for higher living standards. |
| 1 Feb 2017 | 1 450 | ~€321 | +16% | Continued wage growth amid improved economy. |
| 1 Jan 2018 | 1 900 | ~€413 | +37.9% | Major reform; social contribution shift to employees. |
| 1 Jan 2019 | 2 080 | ~€445 | +7.9% | Regular update; ongoing growth phase. |
| 1 Jan 2020 | 2 230 | ~€467 | +7.2% | Standard adjustment to inflation. |
| 1 Jan 2021 | 2 300 | ~€472 | +3.0% | Pandemic-period moderation. |
| 1 Jan 2022 | 2 550 | ~€515 | +10.9% | Post-COVID recovery and inflation. |
| 1 Jan 2023 | 3 000 | ~€607 | +17.6% | Strong inflationary pressure. |
| 1 Oct 2023 | 3 300 | ~€663 | +10% | Mid-year response to cost of living. |
| 1 Jul 2024 | 3 700 | ~€743 | +12.1% | Continued catch-up with rising prices. |
| 1 Jan 2025 | 4 050 | ~€814 | +9.5% | Policy to align with EU minimum wage goals. |
| 2026 (current) | 4 050 | ~€814 | — | No change yet as of early 2026. |
Also, from July 1st, 2026, the gross minimum wage in Romania is set to increase to 4,325 RON (approximately 850 EUR.).
Since 2016, the most significant minimum wage increases in Romania were in 2018, by almost 38%, and in 2016, by 19%.
Why minimum wage changes matter
Minimum wage changes matter due to multiple factors for workers, businesses, and a nation’s economy:
- For employees – Changes are important due to inflation variations and the purchasing power of the take-home pay; workers have to be paid in accordance with the inflation in a country and the general prices of services and products.
- For businesses – Changes in the minimum wage matter due to payroll costs, overall prices, and the hiring process and number of potential employees
- For the economy – Inflation pressure and tax revenue can influence the overall health of a nation’s economy
Romania vs Europe: Minimum wage comparison
Comparing the minimum wage in Romania with other European countries is a tricky issue due to multiple factors, including cost of living, taxes, work hours, and productivity.
While the current minimum wage in Romania is approximately 814 EUR or almost 5 EUR/hour, other European countries minimum wage in January 2026 is as follows:
Germany minimum wage
As of January 1st, 2026, the statutory minimum wage in Germany is 13.9 EUR/hour (gross salary).
Spain minimum wage
Spain’s minimum wage is 1,184 EUR per month.
Italy minimum wage
Italy doesn’t have a national statutory minimum wage in 2026. The amount an employee is paid is agreed upon via collective bargaining agreements on a job-to-job basis. There is currently an ongoing discussion with proposals for a statutory 9 EUR per hour minimum, but this is not yet law.
France minimum wage
The minimum wage in France is approximately 12,2 EUR/hour, and the monthly gross salary is a little over 1,823 EUR.
Hungary minimum wage
The general minimum wage in Hungary is approximately 840 EUR/month, and the guaranteed minimum wage for skilled workers is approximately 970 EUR/month.
Denmark minimum wage
Currently, Denmark does not have a single, statutory minimum wage for 2026. Wages are determined via collective bargaining agreements between trade unions and employer associations. However, the typical rates per hour vary between 16.7 EUR and 18.7 EUR.
Switzerland minimum wage
Switzerland does not have a national minimum wage. Minimum wage laws are set at the state/municipal level by collective bargaining agreements, similar to those in Denmark and Italy. However, gross salaries per hour vary between 22 EUR and 26.4 EUR.
In conclusion, Romania has the lowest hourly or monthly minimum wage compared to these EU countries, despite the continued rise in taxes.
FAQ on Minimum Wage
What is the Romania minimum wage in 2026?
In 2026, the minimum wage in Romania is 4,050 RON until July 1st, when it will become 4,325 RON.
What is the net minimum wage?
The net minimum wage in Romania is currently 2,574 RON.
How do you calculate 4,200 RON gross to net?
To calculate 4,200 RON gross to net, you should visit the official gross-to-net calculator website. The result shown is 2,532 RON.
What is the construction minimum wage 2026 in Romania?
In Romania, the construction minimum wage in 2026 is 4,582 RON.
How has the minimum wage changed over time in Romania?
The minimum wage in Romania has been rising in the past years at a variable pace, according to inflation, the covid pandemic, regular updates, new reforms, and other factors.
How does Romania compare with the European minimum wage levels?
Following our analysis with several other countries in the European zone (including Germany, France, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Denmark, and Switzerland), Romania has the lowest minimum wage calculated in EUR per hour and per month.
