Mehr Kaufkraft: Reallöhne in Deutschland weiter gestiegen

Germany's real wages continue to grow faster than consumer prices, according to figures from the Statistisches Bundesamt. In the second quarter of 2026, employees enjoyed a 1.5% increase compared to the same period last year. The first quarter of 2026 saw a 1.8% rise in real wages, marking the first real wage decline since the first quarter of 2023.

Malte Lübker from the WSI Tarifarchiv of the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung union noted that rising real wages are positive for both employees and the economy, though it overlooks the significant wage cuts experienced by workers in previous years due to high inflation. Compared to the second quarter of 2019, prior to various crises, real wages only grew by 0.6%.

In the April to June period of the current year, nominal wage increases were 4.1%, while consumer prices rose by 2.5%. The sectors with the most significant nominal wage increases were agriculture, forestry, fishing (8.9%), energy supply (7.6%), and financial and insurance services (7.5%). Lower wage increases were observed in arts and entertainment (3.4%), education and training (2.4%), and freelance, scientific, and technical services (1.8%).

The introduction of the new minimum wage of 13.90 euros per hour at the beginning of the year mainly benefits low earners. The bottom fifth of full-time employees saw the most substantial earnings increases, averaging 6.7%, while the top fifth had a nominal wage increase of 3.3%. Apprentices experienced a nominal wage increase of 6.0% compared to a year earlier, while low-paid employees saw a 4.7% increase.