Taipei: Taiwan's real regular wages and real total earnings saw significant growth in the first half of 2025, with increases of 1.04 percent and 1.52 percent year-over-year, respectively, as reported by the country's statistics agency. The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) noted that this represented the fastest growth rate in years, reflecting an improvement from the relatively stagnant real income growth observed from 2022 to 2024.
According to Focus Taiwan, the real regular wages, adjusted for inflation, increased to NT$43,609 in the six-month period, marking the most rapid growth since the first half of 2020. Meanwhile, real total earnings, which include salary, fixed allowances, bonuses, overtime pay, and other variable income, rose to NT$364,464, the fastest pace since 2021. Tan Wen-ling, deputy director of the DGBAS' Census Department, attributed these gains to factors such as an increase in the minimum wage, company raises, and moderating inflation that prevented wage erosion.
Before inflation adjustments, average monthly regular wages saw a rise of 2.99 percent to NT$47,608 compared to the previous year. However, income distribution became less equitable, with a record high of 69.81 percent of employees earning below the monthly average, up from 66.75 percent in 2020. Tan highlighted that while average wages continued to climb, the proportion of employees earning below average wages also increased.
In June, DGBAS data showed that average regular earnings reached NT$47,798 (US$1,597) per month, a 2.84 percent increase year-on-year. Additionally, average variable bonuses and overtime amounted to NT$8,713, raising average monthly earnings to NT$56,511, a 1.88 percent rise from the previous year. The median regular monthly wage was NT$38,218, up 2.45 percent from a year earlier, which the DGBAS suggested provides a better indication of how individuals perceive their pay levels.