In the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, the total hourly labour cost rose by 13.9% (according to preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 11.8% in industry and by 14.8% in services.
The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in the following sectors: ‘Real estate activities’ - by 22.5%, ‘Construction’ - by 20.1%, and ‘Administrative and support service activities’ - by 17.2%.
In the structure of the total labour costs, the wages and salaries costs per hour worked grew by 13.8% in comparison with a year earlier, while the other (non-wage) costs rose by 14.3%. Among the economic activities in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024, the growth rate of wages and salaries component ranged from 23.5% in ‘Real estate activities’ sector to 3.6% in ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’ sector.
