Romania’s hourly labour cost rose 1.8 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the second quarter of 2025, according to the Institutul National de Statistica, as hourly labour costs increased across most economic activities.
Sectoral increases and construction lead
The construction sector recorded the highest total cost increase across the economy, rising 5.71 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, alongside a headline year-on-year increase in total employee costs in construction of 5.7 percent. Mining and quarrying followed closely with a 5.63 percent advance in total labour costs over the same period.
Administrative and support service activities registered a 5.33 percent increase in total labour costs. Manufacturing costs climbed 4.07 percent. Information technology and communications posted a 3.22 percent rise in total labour costs compared to the second quarter of 2025.
Breakdown of wage and non-wage components
The direct wage component rose 1.79 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the second quarter of 2025, while the indirect non-wage costs component climbed 1.90 percent over the same comparison period.
Foreign exchange data showed the Romanian leu trading at 5.2557 per euro, 6.1216 per British pound, and 4.5316 against the US dollar.
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Source: Institutul National de Statistica
