Moldovan real wages grow 2.3% in second quarter as hiring expands
Moldova's average monthly gross wage rose 9.2% year-on-year to €840 (16,896 MDL) in the second quarter of 2026, the National Bureau of Statistics (BNS) said on Tuesday.
Adjusted for consumer inflation, real wages climbed 2.34% compared with the same quarter in 2025, while total payroll employment across the country expanded by 2.5%.
Widening sector disparities
The information and communications technology sector posted the highest average earnings, exceeding €2,038 (41,010 MDL) per month. Financial and insurance services followed at €1,563 (31,451 MDL), while utilities and energy provision averaged €1,227 (24,683 MDL).
At the opposite end of the scale, agriculture, forestry, and fishing recorded the lowest compensation at €538 (10,830 MDL), followed by accommodation and food services at €583 (11,723 MDL) and leisure activities at €641 (12,891 MDL).
Gross wages rose across all monitored sectors compared to the second quarter of 2025. Administrative and support services posted the steepest annual surge at 52.5%, followed by construction at 15.5% and technology at 13.1%.
Public and private divide
Wage disparities between the state and commercial sectors remained pronounced. Public sector salaries averaged €687 (13,827 MDL) per month, up 5.1% year-on-year, while private sector pay rose 10.2% to €890 (17,910 MDL).
“The real wage index stood at 102.3% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, yielding a real-term wage growth of 2.34%,” BNS stated in its report.
Workforce numbers broadened alongside pay. Annual headcount gains were led by personal services with a 20.4% jump and administrative support at 13.5%, whereas mining contracted by 6.8% and manufacturing declined 1.7%.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
