Cyprus’ average monthly earnings rose in the first quarter of 2026, according to provisional figures released on Wednesday by the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat). Distribution data published alongside the averages showed that most employees earned below the headline figure, reflecting differences across income groups, gender and nationality.
Average Pay Continues To Rise
Average gross monthly earnings for employees in Cyprus reached €2,601 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with €2,508 in the same period a year earlier, an annual increase of 3.7%.
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After seasonal adjustment, average gross monthly earnings stood at €2,652, up 0.8% from the fourth quarter of 2025. By comparison, the unadjusted average reached €2,932 in the previous quarter, reflecting year-end bonuses and other seasonal payments.
Most Employees Earn Below The Average
Distribution data showed that 40.9% of employees earned between €1,500 and €2,999 per month, making it the largest income group. A further 33.9% earned less than €1,500.
Only 13.1% of employees earned between €3,000 and €4,499, while 6.4% received between €4,500 and €5,999. At the upper end of the scale, 5.7% earned €6,000 or more.
Gender Gap Persists
Men continued to earn more than women on average. Male employees recorded gross monthly earnings of €2,776 in the first quarter, compared with €2,378 for female employees.
On an annual basis, men’s earnings increased by 3.3%, while women’s earnings rose by 4.2%. After seasonal adjustment, average monthly earnings reached €2,823 for men and €2,434 for women.
Compared with the previous quarter, seasonally adjusted earnings increased by 0.7% for men and 1.0% for women.
Earnings Vary By Nationality
The distribution of earnings also differed by nationality. Cypriot employees were more concentrated in the middle income bands, while non-Cypriot employees accounted for larger shares at both the lower and upper ends of the pay scale.
Among Cypriot employees, 45.2% earned between €1,500 and €2,999 per month, while 27.4% earned less than €1,500. Among non-Cypriot employees, 46.7% earned below €1,500, and 32.6% fell into the €1,500 to €2,999 bracket. At the highest income level, 8.5% of non-Cypriot employees earned €6,000 or more, compared with 4.3% of Cypriot employees.
The pattern was similar by gender. Among non-Cypriot men, 44.5% earned less than €1,500, while 10.3% earned at least €6,000. The corresponding figures for Cypriot men were 22.9% and 5.3%. Among women, 50.3% of non-Cypriot employees earned below €1,500, compared with 32.3% of Cypriot women. At the upper end of the scale, 5.5% of non-Cypriot women earned €6,000 or more, versus 3.1% of Cypriot women.
Earnings Distribution Highlights Differences Across The Workforce
While average monthly earnings increased in the first quarter, the distribution data showed that most employees earned below the overall average. The figures also pointed to differences in earnings across gender, nationality and income bands.
