Top five European countries where wages are the highest – UK doesn’t top list

The top five European countries where wages are the highest have been revealed and the UK doesn’t top the list.

The Voronoi app, taking Eurostat data from 2023, has developed a map that shows Luxembourg has topped the list with an average pay rate of £39 ( €47) per hour.

However, the hourly pay rate in the UK is £17.4 and the current European average rate is £20 (€24).

The European country has one of the highest GDP (gross domestic product) per capita in the world. In second and third place are Denmark (€42 per hour) and Norway at €41.70.

While countries closer to Spain such as Portugal are at the bottom of the list with an average hourly wage of €13.70, France, in contrast, is above average with €28.70 per hour.

Italy also exceeds that of Spain with an average of €21.50 per hour, placing it in 14th position.

At the other extreme to Luxembourg are Bulgaria with €8 per hour and Romania with €10.40 per hour.

They are followed by Latvia at €10.70.

Moreover, while Denmark and Iceland also feature at the top of the table in terms of average earnings, it is the southern European countries that mostly appear lower down the ranking.

For example, Greece is at €12.60 per hour.

At the other extreme to Luxembourg are Bulgaria with €8 per hour and Romania with €10.40 per hour.

They are followed by Latvia at €10.70.

Moreover, while Denmark and Iceland also feature at the top of the table in terms of average earnings, it is the southern European countries that mostly appear lower down the ranking. For example, Greece at €12.60 per hour.

Business Insider points out that the wage gap could influence the competitiveness of the Spanish labour market, affecting both the attraction of talent and the standard of living for the country’s workforce.

The website adds that: “economic experts have pointed out that the wage gap reflects a number of structural challenges in the Spanish economy, including the need for labour market reforms and policies that encourage higher productivity and wages.”