The average cost of labour per hour across the 28 member countries of the European Union was estimated to be €24.60 in 2014, rising to €29.20 among the 18 nation-eurozone.
The range stretches from €40.3 in Denmark to €3.80 in Bulgaria.
Total labour costs includes wages, bonuses, allowances and the like paid by an employers in exchange for work done as well as payments for days not worked and remuneration of expenses.
It also includes other costs such as social contributions demanded by the state.
Portugal was well below average, with an hourly cost of just €13.10.
Costs, in fact, dropped lower last year than they had been in either 2012 or 2013. Portugal was one of only seven countries where the costs fell.
The percentage of total wages for social contributions paid in Portugal was 20.6%.
The lowest costs were in Bulgaria (€3.8), Romania (€4.6), Lithuania (€6.5), and Latvia (€6.6).
Portugal and Malta were in 12th and 13th lowest positions. All those which had lower labour costs are former eastern bloc nations.
In beleaguered Greece, costs per hour were higher than in Portugal at €14.6 and in neighbouring Spain they were €21.3.
The breakdown for economic activity in Portugal was:
|
Business |
Industry |
Construction |
Services |
|
€12.60 |
€10.70 |
€11.50 |
€14.00 |
