After years of strong rise, the average salary in Macedonia actually declined in January 2024, compared to the previous month.
The salary reached 39.542 denars, or about 650 EUR. It is down by 500 denars, or about 10 EUR, compared to the previous month. The drop was most pronounced in construction (-10.9 percent) and in manufacturing (-4.9 percent).

A recent report from the SSM union showed that cost of living continues to increase, so that a family of four requires over 59,000 denars to make it through the month. In February, this standardized report saw the cost of living go up by 1,500 denars.

Salaries in Macedonia have been rising for years, hand in hand with inflation. The Government has also been pushing mandated increases in the minimum wage, which are believed to have contributed to the inflation. The high emigration rate after Covid has also contributed to the rise in salaries, as companies face shortage of workers.