According to the Romania Salary Barometer 2026, the average net salary in Cluj County reaches 6,633 lei, placing the county in second place in the ranking. Bucharest is in first place with 6,073 lei, and Timiș ranks third with 6,192 lei. At the national level, candidates request average net salaries of 7,000 lei, while employer offers are approximately 5,400 lei, representing a difference of almost 30%.

Differences between sectors are considerable. In the IT sector, the median net salary is 11,750 lei per month, compared to 4,700 lei in retail. The best-paid position analyzed is that of medical director, with an average net income of 28,000 lei per month.

Region significantly influences employee income. In Hunedoara, the average net salary indicated by the study is 4,108 lei, almost 3,000 lei below that in Bucharest and over 2,500 lei below that in Cluj.

Eurostat data for 2025 shows that Romania had the second lowest hourly labor cost in the European Union, of 13.6 euros, compared to the EU average of 34.9 euros. Only Bulgaria recorded a lower cost, of 12 euros per hour.

Average net salary earnings reached 5,820 lei in July 2026. Although the amount increased compared to the same month the previous year, purchasing power decreased by 2.5%.