The latest definitive structural salary figure for Spain is €29,540.26 gross per year, equivalent to €2,461.69 per month when divided by 12, according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute’s 2024 Annual Salary Structure Survey, published on 28 May 2026. This is an official 2024 annual average, not a measured or forecast average for the whole of 2026.
Spain does not publish an official national average net salary. Under 2026 contribution and income-tax rules, a single employee with no children earning €29,540.26 gross could receive roughly €1,875–€1,950 net per month on a 12-payment equivalent basis. This is an editorial estimate, not an INE statistic; the actual figure depends on the autonomous community, contract, family circumstances, allowances, and payroll structure.
That difference matters. Most salary statistics published online refer to gross earnings, while your real purchasing power depends on net income — the amount that remains after taxes and mandatory deductions.
Whether you are considering relocating to Spain, negotiating a job offer, or comparing wages across Europe, understanding the gap between gross and net pay is essential.
Average Salary in Spain — Key Numbers
| Metric | Amount | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Average gross salary | €29,540.26/year or €2,461.69/month | Definitive 2024 structural data, published in 2026 |
| Median gross salary | €24,497.17/year or €2,041.43/month | Definitive 2024 structural data |
| Estimated net salary at the annual average | About €1,875–€1,950/month | Editorial 2026 estimate, 12-payment equivalent |
| Minimum wage | €1,221/month in 14 payments | 2026 statutory rate |
| Minimum wage, 12-payment equivalent | €1,424.50/month | €17,094 annual minimum divided by 12 |
| Latest short-term salary-cost measure | €2,403.80/month | First quarter of 2026 |
| Latest salary-cost growth | 4.9% year on year | First quarter of 2026 |
The INE’s salary-survey results portal provides the official distribution, occupation, activity, and autonomous-community tables.
Calculate your exact take-home pay with our Net Salary Calculator.
The average and median describe different parts of the distribution. In 2024, average annual gross earnings were €29,540.26, while median earnings were €24,497.17. The median — the point below which half of employees earned — was therefore about 17.1% lower than the average.
Gross vs Net — Understanding Your Take-Home Pay
In Spain, an employer quotes gross pay, but employee social security contributions and IRPF personal income-tax withholding are deducted before the money reaches the employee’s bank account.
For a standard indefinite contract in 2026, the principal employee contribution rates are:
- Common contingencies: 4.70%
- Unemployment: 1.55%
- Vocational training: 0.10%
- Intergenerational Equity Mechanism (MEI): 0.15%
These standard components total 6.50% of the applicable contribution base. Temporary contracts generally carry a 1.60% employee unemployment rate instead of 1.55%. The official rates are published by Spain’s Social Security administration, while the legally applicable bases, ceilings, MEI, and solidarity contributions are set out in the 2026 Social Security contribution order.
IRPF is progressive and combines state and autonomous-community rules. Withholding also depends on personal and family circumstances. The Spanish Tax Agency provides the official 2026 IRPF withholding service and calculation algorithm, and explains how the personal and family minimum affects the calculation.
Using the latest official annual average as an illustration:
| Step | Approximate amount |
|---|---|
| Gross annual salary | €29,540.26 |
| Employee social contributions at 6.50% | −€1,920.12 |
| IRPF | Varies by region and taxpayer |
| Estimated annual net salary | About €22,500–€23,400 |
| Estimated monthly net, 12-payment equivalent | About €1,875–€1,950 |
Only the gross salary and statutory contribution rates in this example are official figures. The net range is an editorial estimate for a simplified single taxpayer with no children and cannot replace an individual payroll calculation.
Spain commonly uses either 12 payments or 14 payments. Dividing an annual amount by 12 creates a consistent comparison but does not mean every employee receives the same amount in each calendar month.
Salaries by Industry in Spain
Salary levels vary substantially between industries. The official 2024 annual figures below are divided by 12 solely to provide a consistent monthly comparison.
| Industry | Official Annual Gross Salary | 12-Month Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning | €57,931.81 | €4,827.65/month |
| Finance and insurance | €51,862.90 | €4,321.91/month |
| Information and communications | €42,741.94 | €3,561.83/month |
| Public administration | €37,517.88 | €3,126.49/month |
| Manufacturing | €32,881.61 | €2,740.13/month |
| Healthcare and social services | €32,224.93 | €2,685.41/month |
| Education | €32,210.11 | €2,684.18/month |
| Construction | €26,965.09 | €2,247.09/month |
| Trade | €25,778.97 | €2,148.25/month |
| Hospitality | €17,653.42 | €1,471.12/month |
The complete official figures and sampling cautions are available in the INE table by sex and section of economic activity.
Energy supply was the highest-paying activity, not finance. Hospitality was the lowest-paying activity. Average annual earnings in energy were about 3.3 times those in hospitality.
The strongest sector-level annual increases in 2024 were in professional, scientific and technical activities (8.0%), mining and quarrying (7.9%), and information and communications (7.7%). Arts, entertainment and recreation recorded a 1.2% decrease.
Salaries by Region
Spain also displays notable regional salary differences. The latest definitive annual structural figures refer to 2024 and were published in May 2026.
| Autonomous Community | Official Annual Gross Salary | 12-Month Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| País Vasco | €35,170.28 | €2,930.86/month |
| Comunidad de Madrid | €34,410.01 | €2,867.50/month |
| Comunidad Foral de Navarra | €32,605.28 | €2,717.11/month |
| Cataluña | €31,730.05 | €2,644.17/month |
| Spain average | €29,540.26 | €2,461.69/month |
| Canarias | €25,120.38 | €2,093.37/month |
| Extremadura | €24,979.44 | €2,081.62/month |
Detailed regional distributions and average earnings can be accessed through the official INE annual salary tables for autonomous communities.
País Vasco recorded the highest average annual salary, followed by Madrid and Navarra. Extremadura had the lowest, followed by Canarias and Castilla-La Mancha. Regional gross figures should not be treated as differences in net income because autonomous-community IRPF rules and living costs also vary.
Salary Trends — Is Spain Keeping Up with Inflation?
The definitive structural survey shows that average annual earnings increased by 5.3% in 2024, from €28,049.94 in 2023 to €29,540.26 in 2024.
Spain’s average CPI inflation for 2024 was approximately 2.8%, so a consistent inflation-adjusted calculation gives real growth of about 2.5%. This is an editorial calculation, not a separate INE wage statistic.
More recent data are available from a different survey. In the first quarter of 2026, the INE’s Quarterly Labour Cost Survey reported salary cost of €2,403.80 per worker per month, up 4.9% from the first quarter of 2025. This measure is not interchangeable with the annual salary-structure average because the surveys have different concepts, coverage, and periods.
The latest final INE consumer-price release put annual CPI inflation at 3.2% in June 2026, with prices up 2.3% since December 2025. Comparing the first-quarter salary-cost rate with June inflation only provides broad context because the reference periods do not match exactly.
The statutory minimum wage increased by 3.1% in 2026 to €1,221 per month in 14 payments, or €17,094 per year. The legally binding amount appears in Royal Decree 126/2026, and the Spanish government’s official announcement confirms that it applies retroactively from 1 January 2026. Dividing the annual minimum by 12 gives €1,424.50.
No official full-year 2026 average or median salary has yet been published. The article therefore distinguishes the definitive 2024 structural benchmarks from the more current first-quarter 2026 salary-cost indicator and does not present either as a forecast.
Compare salaries and purchasing power across all EU countries with our EU Salary Comparison Map.
What Is Considered a Good Salary in Spain?
The answer depends on profession, location, working time, payment schedule, and personal circumstances.
As a broad gross benchmark on a 12-payment equivalent basis:
| Gross Monthly Salary | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| €1,424.50 | 2026 statutory minimum, annualised over 12 months |
| About €2,041 | Official 2024 median |
| About €2,462 | Official 2024 average |
| €3,000+ | Above the national structural average |
| €4,000+ | High relative to the national average, but not a formal percentile threshold |
These comparisons are mathematical benchmarks, not measures of financial wellbeing. Housing costs, household size, debt, working hours, payment frequency, and location all influence living standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average salary in Spain?
The latest definitive average is €29,540.26 gross per year for 2024, equivalent to €2,461.69 per month when divided by 12. No official full-year 2026 average is available yet.
What is the median salary in Spain?
The latest definitive median is €24,497.17 gross per year for 2024, equivalent to €2,041.43 per month on a 12-payment basis.
What is the average net salary in Spain?
Spain does not publish an official national average net salary. Under simplified 2026 assumptions, an employee earning the official 2024 average gross salary might retain about €1,875–€1,950 per month on a 12-payment equivalent basis, but this is an estimate and individual results vary.
What is the minimum wage in Spain?
In 2026, the statutory minimum is €1,221 per month in 14 payments, equal to €17,094 per year or €1,424.50 per month when annualised over 12 payments.
Which industries pay the highest salaries?
Electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply led in 2024 at €57,931.81 annually, followed by finance and insurance at €51,862.90.
Which regions have the highest salaries?
País Vasco, Madrid and Navarra reported the highest average annual earnings in the definitive 2024 data.
Bottom Line
Spain’s latest definitive average gross salary is €29,540.26 per year, equivalent to €2,461.69 per month over 12 months, while the official median is €24,497.17 per year, or €2,041.43 per month. Both figures refer to 2024 and were published in May 2026.
A simplified 2026 estimate suggests that a single employee with no children earning the average gross salary could retain roughly €1,875–€1,950 per month net on a 12-payment equivalent basis. This is not an official net-salary statistic.
The most current short-term indicator shows salary cost rising 4.9% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, while annual CPI inflation stood at 3.2% in June. When comparing job offers, distinguish gross from net pay, confirm whether the package uses 12 or 14 payments, and account for autonomous-community tax rules.
Disclaimer
The salary, tax and net income figures in this article are provided for general informational purposes only. Actual take-home pay may vary depending on personal circumstances, tax allowances, social security status, family situation, place of residence, bonuses, special payments and other individual factors. Some net salary figures and effective deduction rates may be estimates based on publicly available data and simplified calculations. They should not be considered tax, legal, financial or employment advice. Before making financial, employment or relocation decisions, consult an official authority, qualified tax adviser, payroll specialist or other relevant professional.
Average salary in Spain
Matias Buće has a formal background in administrative law and more than ten years of experience studying global markets, forex trading, and personal finance. His legal training shapes his approach to investing — with a focus on regulation, structure, and risk management. At Finorum, he writes about a broad range of financial topics, from European ETFs to practical personal finance strategies for everyday investors.
Sources & References
EU regulations & taxation
Additional educational resources
- Boe.es — 2026 Social Security contribution order
- Royal Decree 126/2026
- Ine.es — INE annual salary tables for autonomous communities
- INE consumer-price release
- INE table by sex and section of economic activity
- Quarterly Labour Cost Survey
- salary-survey results portal
- Spanish National Statistics Institute’s 2024 Annual Salary Structure Survey
- Lamoncloa.gob.es — Spanish government’s official announcement
- Sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es — personal and family minimum
- Seg-social.es — Spain’s Social Security administration