Minimum wage in Estonia 2026: EUR 946 a month
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Estonia's minimum wage is EUR 946 a month for full-time work, or EUR 5.67 an hour, from April 1, 2026, set by Government regulation on the basis of an agreement between the Estonian Employers' Confederation and the Trade Union Confederation (Labor Inspectorate, checked October 18, 2026). Converted at the European Central Bank rate for October 16, 2026, the monthly figure comes to roughly $1,065. The employer adds 33.8% in social tax and unemployment insurance, EUR 319.75 a month at the minimum, before any EOR fee.
Estonia's minimum wage is a national monthly and hourly pay floor that the Government sets by regulation after the central employer and union organizations agree on it.
- Minimum wage
- EUR 946a month
- In US dollars
- about $1,065a month
- In force since
- April 1, 2026
- Next change
- None confirmed as of October 2026
On this page
Why 2026 has two rates
Estonia used to raise the minimum on January 1. In 2026 the change date moved to April 1, so EUR 886 applied from January 1 to March 31 and EUR 946 from April 1, a rise of about 6.8%. Payroll for the first quarter used the old rate; every pay period from April onward uses the new one.
That makes the 2026 total for a full-time minimum-wage employee EUR 886 x 3 + EUR 946 x 9 = EUR 11,172, about $12,572. A full year at the new rate is EUR 946 x 12 = EUR 11,352. No 2027 rate had been confirmed when we checked.
Other minimum wage rates in Estonia
| Rate | Amount | In USD | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly minimum wage (gross) | EUR 5.67 an hour | about $6.38 | April 1, 2026 | source |
| Monthly minimum wage in force 1 Jan to 31 Mar 2026 | EUR 886 a month | about $997 | source |
US dollar figures use exchange rates from the European Central Bank (Oct 16, 2026) and the US Treasury (quarter ended Sep 30, 2026), and move with the exchange rate.
Monthly and hourly figures
The regulation sets both numbers. The EUR 946 monthly figure applies to full-time staff; the EUR 5.67 hourly rate, about $6.38, is the hourly floor. Both apply to all employees.
Hiring at the minimum through an EOR
An employer of record runs payroll, pays the social tax and applies rate changes like the April switch. EOR fees on vendors' own pricing pages (October 16, 2026) go from a $99 starting price at Native Teams (its help center says EUR 99) up to Oyster's $699. Deel's $599 is about 42% of the $1,424 monthly cost of a minimum-wage hire, so the fee hits low-paid roles hardest. Our ranked EOR list scores the providers; the Estonia EOR guide covers contracts and notice, and the international cost calculator prices a salary of your choosing. Baltic and Nordic neighbors sit side by side in the employer cost index: Latvia, Lithuania and Finland.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Estonia in 2026?
What is the minimum hourly wage in Estonia?
What is EUR 946 in US dollars?
Why did Estonia raise the minimum wage in April?
How much social tax does an Estonian employer pay?
Sources (13)
- Estonian Tax and Customs Board: Tax rates (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- European Central Bank: Euro foreign exchange reference rates (rates for Oct 16, 2026)
- Deel: Deel pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Payoneer WFM (formerly Skuad): Skuad pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Oyster: Oyster pricing (checked Oct 16, 2026)
- Native Teams: Pricing (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Native Teams: Pricing plans, features, benefits and how they work (help center) (checked Oct 18, 2026)
- Labour Inspectorate, Applicable law and working conditions: Labour Inspectorate, Applicable law and working conditions (checked October 18, 2026)
- Statistics Estonia, Average monthly gross wages and salaries: Statistics Estonia, Average monthly gross wages and salaries (checked October 18, 2026)
- Working Life Portal (tooelu.ee), Types of holidays: Working Life Portal (tooelu.ee), Types of holidays (checked October 18, 2026)
- Social Insurance Board, Maternity benefit and maternity leave: Social Insurance Board, Maternity benefit and maternity leave (checked October 18, 2026)
- Social Insurance Board, Paternity benefit and paternity leave: Social Insurance Board, Paternity benefit and paternity leave (checked October 18, 2026)
- Health Insurance Fund, Benefit for temporary incapacity for work (employers): Health Insurance Fund, Benefit for temporary incapacity for work (employers) (checked October 18, 2026)
This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Rules and rates change, so check the official source linked above before you file or sign a contract. Read our disclaimer.
Social tax on a minimum-wage salary
The employer pays 33% social tax, which funds pension and health, plus 0.8% unemployment insurance. There is no ceiling. Social tax is also due on a minimum monthly base of EUR 886 in 2026, a minimum of EUR 292.38 a month.
At the April rate: EUR 946 x 33.8% = EUR 319.75, so one full-time employee costs EUR 1,265.75 a month, about $1,424, before benefits or service fees. Statistics Estonia puts the 2025 average gross monthly wage at EUR 2,092, more than twice the floor; the Estonia average salary page has the detail.