Salariile cresc, dar puterea de cumpărare scade

International Work Finder has released the first edition of the Salary Barometer for Romania 2026, analyzing wage levels across various sectors. The study covers 246 roles and highlights a polarized labor market. While nominal salaries are projected to rise by 4.8% in 2025, inflation is expected to reach 9.7%, leading to a real wage decrease of about 4.5%. Bucharest's net salary averages 7,073 lei, significantly higher than the national average of 4,839 lei. The IT sector boasts the highest median salary at 11,750 lei, while retail lags behind at 4,700 lei. The study also reveals a gap between candidate salary expectations and company offers, particularly in engineering and banking.