Wages in Europe 2026: Minimum Wage in the Netherlands and Other Countries

If you are thinking about where to work, the first question is usually pay. Minimum wages are a good starting point, because they show the lowest amount you must get in a country. But a number on its own says little. Let's see where the Netherlands stands, and what to watch when you compare.

Minimum wages in one table

The table below shows the gross monthly minimum wages in January 2026. The source is data from the EU statistics office (Eurostat) and national sources. We left the Hungarian and Polish amounts in their own currency, because conversion depends on the exchange rate and could easily be misleading.

Country	Gross monthly minimum wage (January 2026)	Note
Luxembourg	over 2 700 euros	the highest in the EU
Germany	over 2 300 euros
Ireland	over 2 300 euros
Netherlands	2 294.40 euros	from 1 July 2026: 2 337 euros
Poland	4 806 zloty	about 3 606 zloty net
Hungary	322 800 Ft	guaranteed minimum wage (for work that needs a qualification): 373 200 Ft
Romania	795 euros
Bulgaria	about 620 euros	the lowest in the EU

Important: Denmark, Italy, Austria, Finland and Sweden have no legal minimum wage. There, wages are usually set by collective agreements, so these countries are not in the table.

The Netherlands up close

In the Netherlands the minimum wage is set per hour, not per month, and it is adjusted twice a year, in January and in July. From age 21:

• from 1 January 2026: 14.71 euros gross per hour
• from 1 July 2026: 14.99 euros gross per hour

With 40 hours a week that is about 600 euros gross per week. The monthly amount (2 294.40 or 2 337 euros) is only a reference: what you really get depends on how many hours you work.

In the table, the January figures for Germany and Ireland are a little above the Netherlands. But the difference is small, and the Dutch minimum wage went up in July. Also, the monthly amounts are calculated by conversion, so do not take differences of a few tens of euros too seriously.

In the Netherlands younger workers get a lower minimum: from July 2026, 11.99 euros per hour at age 20, 8.99 at 19 and 7.50 at 18. If you are under 21, count with these.

West and East: why is the gap so big?

The table clearly shows a big gap between minimum wages in Western and Eastern Europe. In Luxembourg the monthly minimum wage in euros is about four to four and a half times as high as in Bulgaria (our own calculation).

This is one of the main reasons many people go west to work. But the difference is not only in pay. In the West, housing, food, services and insurance are usually much more expensive too. So the question is not where gross pay is higher, but how much is left after costs.

Gross and net: do not mix them up

Minimum wages are almost always given gross. But what you get in your hand is net: the amount left after taxes and contributions.

An example: the Polish minimum wage is 4 806 zloty gross, but about 3 606 zloty net. That is a big difference, and the ratio is different in every country.

In the Netherlands you can see more deductions on your loonstrook (payslip), for example:

• the cost of housing, if the agency provides it,
• health insurance (zorgverzekering), if the agency arranges it as a group policy,
• the pension contribution.

So with every offer, always ask: how much is left net, in an average week, after all deductions?

Housing, insurance, cost of living

The cost of living is very different from country to country, and there is no single reliable number to compare it. But some Dutch costs are well known:

• Housing. If the employer provides certified housing (for example with an SNF certificate), it may deduct at most 25% of the minimum wage for it. With the July minimum wage this is a maximum of about 584 euros per month.
• Health insurance. It is compulsory. The average premium in 2026 is 1 884 euros per year, about 157 euros per month. On top of that comes the yearly own risk (eigen risico) of 385 euros.
• Food and daily costs. In Western Europe these are usually more expensive than at home. Many people cook together at the housing to save money.

At home, in your home country, many people have their own flat or family support, which they do not have abroad. Count this in too.

Travel and hidden costs

Some costs are often left out of the comparison:

• Trips home. If you go home regularly, travel costs can be a large amount every month. Ask if the agency helps.
• Commuting. How much time and money does it take to get to work? Is there a bike, a minibus, public transport?
• Lost hours. If you get fewer hours than you expected, your weekly pay is lower too. The hours in the job ad are not always guaranteed.
• Deposit and the first weeks. You also need something to live on until your first payday.

What to check when you compare

A quick checklist before you decide:

1. Is the amount gross or net?
2. Hourly, weekly or monthly pay? How many hours did they count with?
3. How much is the housing, and is it deducted or do you pay it separately?
4. How much is the insurance and the other deductions?
5. How much do travel and trips home cost?
6. How secure are the job and the housing in the longer term?

If you have a question about tax or your contract, the agency, the Belastingdienst (the Dutch tax office), the Juridisch Loket or the trade unions (FNV, CNV) can give you a reliable answer.

On Eyesonworks.eu you can filter by net weekly pay, housing and type of work, and you always reach the agency's original job ad, where you can ask about the details.

In short

• In January 2026 Luxembourg had the highest and Bulgaria the lowest monthly minimum wage in the EU.
• In the Netherlands the minimum wage is per hour: from July, 14.99 euros gross (age 21 and over), about 600 euros gross per week with 40 hours.
• The Hungarian minimum wage is 322 800 Ft, the guaranteed minimum wage is 373 200 Ft; the Polish one is 4 806 zloty gross.
• Always compare net pay and what is left after costs, not gross pay.
• Count with housing, insurance, travel and uncertain hours too.