Greece Raises Minimum Wage to €880 in 2025

Greece Raises Minimum Wage to €880 in 2025

As of April 1, 2025, Greece has officially raised its monthly minimum wage to €880 gross—a 6% increase from the previous rate of €830. For blue-collar workers, the daily minimum wage is now €39.30. Atlas HXMJD SupraeKathimerini

What This Means in Numbers

• The rise equates to roughly €50 more per month, or €2.23 more per day for blue-collar workers. JD SupraeKathimerini

• After taxes and social contributions, employees see a net gain of approximately €33.78, while employers face €60.89 in additional costs per worker. eKathimerini

Benefits and Statutory Adjustments

• The increase also impacts various statutory allowances including unemployment, maternity, and marriage benefits.

• For instance:

  • Unemployment benefits rose from €509 to €540.

  • Maternity allowance increased from €7,470 to about €7,919.69. JD Supra

Policy Outlook and EU Context

• The government has set a goal to further increase the minimum wage to €950 by 2027. Reuters

• Greece now ranks 11th among the 22 EU countries with a statutory minimum wage when counting the 14 pays convention—amounting to about €1,026.60 annually in gross. Wikipedia

Labor Response and Economic Pressure

Despite the increase, wage growth has lagged behind the rising cost of living, prompting widespread dissatisfaction. On April 9, 2025, major labor unions staged a one-day nationwide strike, halting ferries, flights, and trains to demand better wages and reinstatement of collective bargaining rights. Reuters

Summary Table

ItemDetailsNew Minimum Wage€880/month (white-collar); €39.30/day (blue-collar)Gross Increase+€50/month (~6%); +€2.23/dayNet Employee Gain~€33.78Employer Cost Increase€60.89 per workerStatutory Benefits AffectedUnemployment, maternity, marriage allowances adjustedFuture Target€950 minimum wage by 2027EU RankApproximately 11th among 22 EU member statesLabor ReactionNationwide strike over living costs and wage gaps