Minimum wage in Europe 2026, before and after tax
The official minimum wage is set in different ways in each country: by the hour or by the month, paid 12 or 14 times a year, with or without a holiday allowance. This page puts the full-time minimum wage in 8 countries on the same yearly basis, in euros, and works out what is left after income tax and social security.
- €2,480a month after tax is what a full-time minimum wage leaves in the Netherlands, the most of the 8 countries. Turkey leaves the least: €504.
- 94%of the minimum wage is kept in Spain, the largest share. Germany keeps the smallest: 71%.
- 63%of the median salary is what a full-time minimum wage pays in the UK, the highest ratio here. In Germany it is 45%.
- 5 of 8countries set the minimum wage by the hour, so what it pays in a month depends on the hours in your contract.
Take-home pay on the minimum wage
- Take-home a month
- Income tax and social security
Yearly pay divided by 12, so 13th and 14th payments and the Dutch holiday allowance are spread over the year.
Minimum wages compared
| Country | Official rate | Full time | Gross a year | Take-home a year | Take-home a month | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | €14.99 an hour | 40 hours a week | €33,359 | €29,763 | €2,480 | 89.2% |
| UK | £12.71 an hour | 37.5 hours a week | €29,601 (£24,785) | €25,516 (£21,364) | €2,126 | 86.2% |
| Ireland | €14.15 an hour | 39 hours a week | €28,696 | €25,347 | €2,112 | 88.3% |
| Germany | €13.90 an hour | 40 hours a week | €28,912 | €20,598 | €1,716 | 71.2% |
| France | €12.31 an hour | 35 hours a week | €22,184 | €17,298 | €1,441 | 78.0% |
| Spain | €1,221 a month | 14 payments a year | €17,094 | €15,983 | €1,332 | 93.5% |
| Portugal | €920 a month | 14 payments a year | €12,880 | €11,463 | €955 | 89.0% |
| Turkey | ₺33,030 a month | 12 payments a year | €7,120 (₺396,360) | €6,052 (₺336,906) | €504 | 85.0% |
Adult rate in force in October 2026. Yearly figures blend the old and new rate where it rose during the year, include the Dutch 8% holiday allowance, and use each country's 2026 tax rules (2026/27 in the UK) for a single employee without children; Spain uses the Madrid scale, and France includes income tax and €20 a month towards the company health plan. Each country name links to its own page with more hours and pay levels.
The minimum wage and typical pay
How far the minimum wage sits below ordinary pay says more about living on it than the amount alone. In the UK a full-time minimum wage is 63% of the median salary; in Germany it is 45%.
| Country | Full-time minimum wage | National pay benchmark | Minimum wage as a share |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | £24,785 a year | £39,039 (median, 2025) | 63% |
| Portugal | €12,880 a year | €20,328 (average, 2025) | 63% |
| France | €22,184 a year | €43,224 (average, 2024) | 51% |
| Spain | €17,094 a year | €33,827 (average, 2024) | 51% |
| Netherlands | €33,359 a year | €69,000 (average, 2025) | 48% |
| Ireland | €28,696 a year | €62,010 (average, 2025) | 46% |
| Germany | €28,912 a year | €64,441 (average, 2025) | 45% |
Each country's own official benchmark, in its own currency. They measure different things (the UK figure is a median, Portugal's includes part-time jobs), so treat the ratios as a rough guide. See average salaries in Europe for what each one covers. Turkey has no comparable figure here.
Why the headline rates are hard to compare
- Hourly or monthly. Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Germany and the UK set an hourly rate; Portugal, Spain and Turkey set a monthly amount. For the hourly countries this page assumes a full-time week of 39 hours in Ireland, 40 hours in the Netherlands, 35 hours in France, 40 hours in Germany and 37.5 hours in the UK. France's legal working week is 35 hours, so a full-time job there pays for fewer hours than in Germany or the Netherlands.
- 12 or 14 payments. Portugal and Spain pay the monthly minimum wage 14 times a year, with extra payments in summer and at Christmas. The yearly amount is 14 times the monthly figure, not 12.
- Holiday allowance. In the Netherlands an 8% holiday allowance is paid on top of the minimum wage, usually in May or June. It is included here.
- Rates that change during the year. The minimum wage rose in the Netherlands on 1 July 2026 and France on 1 June 2026. The yearly figures blend the two rates; the table shows the current one.
- Currency. The UK and Turkish minimum wages are converted at the ECB reference rates of 23 October 2026. The lira lost value against the euro during 2026, so Turkey's euro figure falls even when the lira amount stays the same: Eurostat valued its minimum wage at €654 a month in January and €621 in July.
- Italy has none. Italy has no statutory minimum wage. Pay floors are set by the national collective agreements (CCNL) for each sector, so it is left out.
Why some countries tax the minimum wage more
Take-home pay depends as much on tax-free allowances and social security as on the gross amount. Spain charges no income tax on a full-time minimum wage, only 6.5% employee social security, so workers keep 94%. Turkey exempts the part of every salary equal to the minimum wage from income tax and stamp tax, so a minimum-wage worker pays only social security and keeps 85%. Germany is at the other end: employee social insurance takes 21.8% of a full-time minimum wage and wage tax another 7.0%, leaving 71%.
What changes next
- Ireland: €14.94 an hour from 1 January 2027, announced in Budget 2027; it still needs a ministerial order.
- Portugal: €970 a month from 1 January 2027, announced with the 2027 Budget proposal; it becomes law when the decree is published.
- Netherlands: The rate for 1 January 2027 has not been published yet; it is usually announced in the autumn.
- Spain: The 2027 minimum wage has not been set yet.
- France: The SMIC is raised every 1 January, and during the year if inflation passes 2%, as it did in June 2026. The 2027 rate is usually announced in December.
- Germany: €14.60 an hour from 1 January 2027, already set by ordinance.
- UK: £13.21 an hour from 1 April 2027, announced in the Budget on 28 October 2026; it is set by regulations.
- Turkey: The 2027 minimum wage is usually decided in late December.
Updates are listed on the rate updates page as they are published.
Younger workers
- Ireland: Lower rates apply under 20: €12.74 at 19, €11.32 at 18 and €9.91 under 18.
- Netherlands: From 21 the full rate applies; younger workers get a percentage of it (€11.99 an hour at 20 from 1 July 2026).
- UK: This is the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over. Workers aged 18 to 20 get £10.85 an hour, and 16 to 17 year olds and apprentices £8.00.
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest minimum wage in Europe?
Of the 8 countries on this page, the Netherlands pays the most for full-time work: €2,780 a month before tax and €2,480 after tax, averaged over 2026. Turkey pays the least, €593 a month at the 23 October 2026 exchange rate.
Where do minimum-wage workers keep the most of their pay?
In Spain, which leaves 94% of a full-time minimum wage after income tax and social security. Germany leaves the least, 71%.
Does Italy have a minimum wage?
No. Italy has no statutory minimum wage: pay floors come from the national collective agreements (CCNL) for each sector. That is why Italy is not in the table.
Why do Portugal and Spain look lower than they are?
Because they pay the monthly minimum wage 14 times a year. €920 a month in Portugal is €12,880 a year, or €1,073 a month spread over 12 months. Compare yearly figures, as the table does.
How are the UK and Turkish figures converted to euros?
At the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026: £0.83728 and ₺55.6715 per euro. The amounts in pounds and lira are shown next to the euro figures.
Who are these figures for?
A single adult employee with no children, working full time all year at the adult rate, with the standard tax rules of each country for 2026 (2026/27 in the UK). Take-home pay is after income tax and employee social security.
Sources: Citizens Information: minimum wage, Department of Finance: Budget 2027 tax policy changes, Decreto-Lei 139/2025: minimum wage 2026, Government of Portugal: what to expect in 2027, Rijksoverheid: minimum wage amounts 2026, Rijksoverheid: hourly minimum wage since 2024, BOE: Real Decreto 126/2026 (minimum wage 2026), Urssaf: SMIC amounts in 2026, Service-Public: SMIC gross and net, BGBl. 2025 I Nr. 268: fifth minimum wage adjustment ordinance, GOV.UK: National Living Wage increases to £12.71 per hour, HM Treasury: Budget 2026 (National Living Wage £13.21 from 1 April 2027), ÇSGB: 2026 minimum wage announcement, ÇSGB: 2026 minimum wage calculation, European Central Bank: euro foreign exchange reference rates, Eurostat: monthly minimum wages (earn_mw_cur). Take-home pay comes from the same engines as the country calculators; see the methodology.