Between 2007 and 2021, the average monthly income in Belgium increased year on year. In 2007, a person in Belgium on average had a salary of 2,837 euros per month. By 2021, employees on average earned over 3,886 euros monthly. This was significantly higher than the average salary in neighboring country the Netherlands, where the average monthly salary reached 2.7 thousand euros in 2020.

 Regional differences  

The average monthly income in Belgium was highest in the Brussels-Capital Region, at almost 4.4 thousand euros in 2019. That year, the average employee in the French-speaking Walloon Region earned around 900 euros less.

Gender differences  

Generally speaking, men in Belgium earned slightly more than their female counterparts. Men received just over 3.8 thousand euros on average, whereas women received only 3.7 thousand euros in 2019. In the last ten years, the gender pay gap somewhat decreased though. In 2007, Belgian men still had an average salary that was over 350 euros higher.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Age: 35 to 39 data was reported at 3,834.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,783.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Age: 35 to 39 data is updated yearly, averaging 3,136.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,834.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 2,289.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Age: 35 to 39 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

On average, the gross monthly income in Belgium varied between 2,800 and 5,800 euros in 2021. The amount earned depended on the level of education. Indeed, the higher the education, the higher the average salary. However, only a small share of Belgians thought their salaries were in line with their qualifications.

The Belgian dream?

From the country’s perspective, the average salary was also dependent on the region of Belgium they worked in. On a European level, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (together known as the Benelux region) were all in the ten European Union countries with the highest annual salary in 2020. Luxembourg was, in fact, the country with the second highest average salary. Meanwhile, the Netherlands and Belgium held the fourth and seventh positions. However, these figures reflect only average amounts and do not provide information on the distribution of different wages.

Further income disparities…

In addition to these differences, in 2019, Belgians also faced different levels of income depending on their gender. Despite gender equality being one of the fundamental principles of the European Union law, the average pay in Belgium was higher in the male population than in the female population. All in all, education indeed correlated to the level of wages, but then so were other variables.

From 2000 to 2023 the average annual wage of Belgium increased significantly, peaking in 2021 where it reached its highest value of 56,200 euros in 2023's prices. In 2023, the average salary was around 56,679 euros.

Wages in Belgium increased to 4076 EUR/Month in 2022 from 3886 EUR/Month in 2021. This dataset provides - Belgium Wages- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Hotels & Restaurants data was reported at 2,768.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,737.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Hotels & Restaurants data is updated yearly, averaging 2,294.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,768.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 1,523.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Hotels & Restaurants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

Key information about Belgium Monthly Earnings

• Belgium Monthly Earnings stood at 4,645 USD in Sep 2021, compared with the previous figure of 4,289 USD in Sep 2020
• Belgium Monthly Earnings data is updated yearly, available from Sep 1999 to Sep 2021, with an average number of 3,946 USD
• The data reached the an all-time high of 4,645 USD in Sep 2021 and a record low of 2,132 USD in Sep 2001

CEIC converts Monthly Earnings into USD. Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium provides Average Monthly Earnings of full-time employees in EUR. Federal Reserve Board average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Monthly Earnings include Wages paid for overtime, Bonuses for shift work, Nights or weekends, and exclude Premiums or Unscheduled and Holiday pay. Monthly Earnings are in annual frequency, ending in September of each year.


Further information about Belgium Monthly Earnings

• In the latest reports, Belgium Population reached 12 million people in Dec 2023
• Unemployment Rate of Belgium increased to 6 % in May 2024
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 71 % in Dec 2023

In 2021, the average monthly income for women in Belgium was 3,869 euros. For Belgian men, the average monthly income was slightly higher, at about 3,894 euros. Average monthly income in the country has been increasing since 2007.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Industry data was reported at 3,981.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,901.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Industry data is updated yearly, averaging 3,110.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,981.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 2,238.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Industry data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

This statistic displays the average monthly income in Belgium in 2021, by gender and region. In 2021, the average monthly income for men in the Brussels-Capital Region was 4,700 euros, and the average monthly income for women in the Brussels-Capital Region was 4,400 euros.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Age: 50 to 54 data was reported at 4,366.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,301.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Age: 50 to 54 data is updated yearly, averaging 3,522.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,366.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 2,674.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Age: 50 to 54 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

This statistic displays the average gross monthly salaries in the music and film industry in Belgium in 2018, by type of job and years of experience (in euros). It shows that a movie actor without any experience in Belgium earned approximately 2,800 euros per month. By the time he or she has 20 years of experience, this average salary will increased to over 4,200 euros per month.

Wages in Belgium increased 1.08 percent in September of 2024 over the same month in the previous year. This dataset provides - Belgium Wage Growth- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Female data was reported at 3,869.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,821.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 2,863.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,869.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 1,907.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

From 2006 to 2021, income in Belgium varied on a regional scale. Firstly, the average annual income was higher in the Flemish region than in the rest of the country. Secondly, Wallonia had an average income higher than in the Brussels-Capital Region. Furthermore, from 2006 to 2021, the increase in income was higher in Flanders than in the other parts of Belgium. Indeed, Flanders’ annual income increased by roughly 7,000 euros over this period, whereas Wallonia faced an increase of 6,000 euros. Meanwhile, the Brussels-Capital Region registered an increase of 4,000 euros. In other words, not only did the annual income differ from one region to another, but regional inequalities were also deepening over time.

Further uneven distribution of income in Belgium?

On a European level, Belgium held the fifth position of the European Union countries with the highest annual salaries in 2017. During that year, the average annual income in Belgium reached 18,331 euros. However, income in Belgium varied by level of education, age, and, still to this day, gender. In spite of this, the average income is a major indicator of the level of development of a country and its population's general standard of living.

Average income: a measure with limits...

In 2018, whilst some Belgians possessed fortunes estimated in billions of euros, around 6 percent of households were not able to pay their bills in time. Ultimately, the average income does not provide insight into the gap between rich and poor in the country. This measure is calculated by dividing the country’s total income by its total population. According to a 2017 survey, a significant part of the Belgian respondents believed that the gap in wealth inequality was widening in the country.

In 2021, the average monthly income for people working in the Walloon Region was 3,598 euros, the least out of any region in Belgium. For people working in the Brussels-Capital Region, the average monthly income was 4,604 euros, and for people working in the Flemish Region the average monthly income was 3,830 euros.

Luxembourg had the highest average monthly salary of employees in the world in 2024 in terms of purchasing power parities (PPP), which takes the average cost of living in a country into account. Belgium followed in second, with the Netherlands in third.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Occupation: Subordinated to Highly Skilled Labour data was reported at 4,060.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,024.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Occupation: Subordinated to Highly Skilled Labour data is updated yearly, averaging 3,368.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4,060.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 2,534.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Occupation: Subordinated to Highly Skilled Labour data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Wholesale & Retail Trade data was reported at 3,655.000 EUR in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 3,569.000 EUR for 2020. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Wholesale & Retail Trade data is updated yearly, averaging 2,875.000 EUR from Sep 1999 (Median) to 2021, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,655.000 EUR in 2021 and a record low of 2,079.000 EUR in 1999. Belgium Average Monthly Salary: Wholesale & Retail Trade data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Directorate-General Statistics - Statistics Belgium. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belgium – Table BE.G036: Average Monthly Salary.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents median income data over a decade or more for males and females categorized by Total, Full-Time Year-Round (FT), and Part-Time (PT) employment in Belgium. It showcases annual income, providing insights into gender-specific income distributions and the disparities between full-time and part-time work. The dataset can be utilized to gain insights into gender-based pay disparity trends and explore the variations in income for male and female individuals.

Key observations: Insights from 2023

Based on our analysis ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates, we present the following observations: - All workers, aged 15 years and older: In Belgium, the median income for all workers aged 15 years and older, regardless of work hours, was $49,957 for males and $30,247 for females.

These income figures highlight a substantial gender-based income gap in Belgium. Women, regardless of work hours, earn 61 cents for each dollar earned by men. This significant gender pay gap, approximately 39%, underscores concerning gender-based income inequality in the village of Belgium.

- Full-time workers, aged 15 years and older: In Belgium, among full-time, year-round workers aged 15 years and older, males earned a median income of $66,827, while females earned $47,458, leading to a 29% gender pay gap among full-time workers. This illustrates that women earn 71 cents for each dollar earned by men in full-time roles. This analysis indicates a widening gender pay gap, showing a substantial income disparity where women, despite working full-time, face a more significant wage discrepancy compared to men in the same roles.

Surprisingly, the gender pay gap percentage was higher across all roles, including non-full-time employment, for women compared to men. This suggests that full-time employment offers a more equitable income scenario for women compared to other employment patterns in Belgium.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. All incomes have been adjusting for inflation and are presented in 2023-inflation-adjusted dollars.

Gender classifications include:

• Male
• Female

Employment type classifications include:

• Full-time, year-round: A full-time, year-round worker is a person who worked full time (35 or more hours per week) and 50 or more weeks during the previous calendar year.
• Part-time: A part-time worker is a person who worked less than 35 hours per week during the previous calendar year.

Variables / Data Columns

• Year: This column presents the data year. Expected values are 2010 to 2023
• Male Total Income: Annual median income, for males regardless of work hours
• Male FT Income: Annual median income, for males working full time, year-round
• Male PT Income: Annual median income, for males working part time
• Female Total Income: Annual median income, for females regardless of work hours
• Female FT Income: Annual median income, for females working full time, year-round
• Female PT Income: Annual median income, for females working part time

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Belgium median household income by race. You can refer the same here