In the second quarter of 2026, compared to the second quarter of 2025, the total hourly labour cost rose by 9.9% (according to preliminary data). The total hourly labour cost increased by 12.2% in the industry and by 11.5% in the services.
The highest annual growth in total labour costs was recorded in the following sectors: ‘Mining and quarrying’ - by 18.7%, ‘Other service activities’ - by 17.5%, and ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’ - by 14.3%.
In the structure of the total labour costs, the wages and salaries costs per hour worked grew by 9.9% in comparison with a year earlier, while the other (non-wage) costs rose by 10.0%. Among the economic activities in the second quarter of 2026, compared to the second quarter of 2025, the growth rate of the wages and salaries component ranged from 21.5% in the ‘Mining and quarrying’ sector to 0.3% in the ‘Public administration and defence; compulsory social security’ sector.
