Salary dynamics: 2022–2026 in Czechia
"Salaries are growing" is a phrase from the news that almost always means nominal growth. If you subtract inflation, the picture of recent years looks different: in 2022 and 2023, real salaries fell, and a turnaround only occurred in 2024.
The series below is constructed correctly: all points are taken from the same publication and compare Q1 with Q1. This is not a formality – statistics update old values retroactively, so a graph compiled from press releases from different years would compare different versions of the same data.
Q1 vs Q1
ČSÚ · grossWe compare Q1 with Q1 and take the entire series from one ČSÚ publication. This is fundamental: statistics revise old values retroactively – Q1 2025 was initially published as 46,924 CZK, and a year later was updated to 46,493 CZK. Therefore, a graph compiled from press releases from different years would compare different 'versions' of the same data. The main thing visible from the series is that in 2022 and 2023, salaries actually fell (−5.3% and −7.0%), despite nominal growth. The turnaround occurred in 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Why are quarters compared, not years?+
Because full annual data for the current year is not yet available – only the first quarter is. A year-on-year comparison would have to stop at the previous year, and the most recent data would simply not be included in the picture.
Quarter to the same quarter number is a correct comparison: it removes seasonality (different bonuses and vacations in different quarters) and allows the current year to be included.