RIGA, Dec 1 (LETA) - In the second quarter of this year, the average monthly gross wage in Latvia before taxes for full-time work was EUR 1,835, which is 7.8 percent or EUR 132 more than in the same period of 2024, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB).

Meanwhile, hourly earnings went up to EUR 12.12 euro or by 4.6 percent.

Quarter-on-quarter, the average gross monthly earnings grew by 1.5 percent and hourly earnings reduced by 4.5 percent. The fall in hourly earnings, despite the rise in the average monthly gross salary, is mainly explained by the number of hours worked increasing faster than the wage and salary fund, as third quarter had seven more working days than the second quarter.

Average monthly net earnings reached EUR 1,361.

The average wages and salaries after taxes amounted to EUR 1,361 (representing 74.1 percent of the gross earnings) and year-on-year grew by 10.5 percent, thus overtaking the climb in both consumer prices and gross earnings. The real increase in the net earnings, considering the price rise, was 6.3 percent.

The gross median wages and salaries (in full-time units) amounted to EUR 1,488 euro in the third quarter of 2025. Year-on-year, they increased by EUR 103 euro, representing a rise of 7.5 percent (from EUR 1,385 in the third quarter of 2024). The net median earnings (after taxes) stood at EUR 1,135 and grew by 11.7 percent compared with the third quarter of 2024.

Private sector saw a 1 percentage point higher year-on-year rise in the average earnings than the public sector (8.1 percent and 7.1 percent respectively).

The average monthly earnings before taxes in the private sector stood at EUR 1,821 euro in the third quarter of 2025, while in the public they were EUR 62 higher, at EUR 1,883.

Apart from the rise or decline in the remuneration of employees, average earnings are also influenced by the labor force demand and supply trends as well as labor market structural changes. Generally, the mentioned factors cause changes in the wage and salary fund and in the number of full-time workers both of which are also used to calculate average earnings.

Year-on-year, the estimated national wage and salary fund grew by 6.9 percent, or by EUR 259 million, while the number of salaried workers (in full-time units) reduced by 6,300 people (0.8 percent).

In terms of economic activities, the sharpest year-on-year rise in the average earnings was registered in other service activities (which include activities of religious, political, etc. membership organizations, repair of computers and personal and household goods, washing and (dry-)cleaning of textile and fur products, hairdressing and other beauty treatment, funeral and related activities, etc. personal service activities) - 15.1 percent. Education follows with 13.4 percent, real estate activities with 12.3 percent, and mining and quarrying with 11.4 percent.

The average gross monthly earnings above the national average (in full-time units) were recorded in financial and insurance activities (EUR 3,022), information and communication (EUR 2,866), professional, scientific and technical activities (EUR 2,334), energy sector (EUR 2,257), mining and quarrying (EUR 2,178), public administration (EUR 2,141), water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities (EUR 1,827), as well as human health and social work activities (EUR 1,879).

The lowest gross earnings were registered in accommodation and food service activities (EUR 1,182).

The highest average gross wages and salaries (in full-time units) were recorded in Riga region (EUR 2,008), while the lowest in Latgale (EUR 1,329). Riga and Latgale had the greatest earnings gap - 33.8 percent.

The gross hourly earnings amounted to EUR 12.12 in the third quarter of 2025. Year-on-year, they grew by 4.6 percent (from EUR 11.59 in the third quarter of 2024).

Driven by a 6.7 percent increase in the total labor costs and a 2.2 percent rise in the hours worked, hourly labor costs (which include wages and salaries as well as other labor-related expenses of the employer) grew by 4.4 percent year-on-year (from EUR 14.57 in the third quarter of 2024 to EUR 15.20 in the third quarter of 2025).