In the third quarter of 2025, compared to the third quarter of 2024, the total hourly labour cost rose by 12.3% (according to preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 12.8% in industry, by 11.3% in services and by 16.4% in construction.
The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in the following sectors: ‘Administrative and support service activities’ - by 21.0%, ‘Mining and quarrying’ - by 18.5%, and ‘Arts, entertainment and recreation’ - by 16.8%.
In the structure of the total labour costs, the wages and salaries costs per hour worked grew by 12.4% in comparison with a year earlier, while the other (non-wage) costs rose by 12.1%. Among the economic activities in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the third quarter of 2024, the growth rate of wages and salaries component ranged from 21.0% in ‘Administrative and support service activities’ sector to 6.7% in ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ sector.
