Average gross monthly earnings in Cyprus rose by 3 per cent in the second quarter of 2026 to 2,548 euros, but one in three employees still earns less than 1,500 euros gross, according to data from the Statistical Service (Cystat). The annual rise eased from 4.2 per cent in the same quarter of 2025.
Three quarters of employees earn less than 3,000 euros, while just 5.6 per cent are in the highest pay bracket of 6,000 euros and above.
Among foreign employees, 46.3 per cent earn less than 1,500 euros, compared with 27 per cent of Cypriots.
At the other end of the scale, 8.1 per cent of foreign employees are in the highest pay bracket, against 4.3 per cent of Cypriots.
The gender pay gap also remains, although women’s earnings are rising faster. Men earn an average of 2,708 euros a month, 363 euros more than women’s 2,345 euros. Women’s earnings rose by 4.1 per cent, compared with 2.1 per cent for men, narrowing the gap.
Whether the increases mean a real gain in purchasing power remains unclear, as inflation also has to be taken into account.
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