Belgium Average Salaries & Expenditures

 
Contents
Average Salary per Job   Average Salary per Sector   Consumption Expenditure   Workforce Composition
Vacation Time   Exchange Rates   Cost of Living   References
 

Average Salary in Belgium - Job and Sector Comparison.

Job  Net Monthly Income  constant 2005 US$ (1) Notes                                                                               Gross Monthly Average Income (2) Compulsory Deductions (3) Weekly Hours (4)
 
Carpenter average salary PPP $ 1,781 $ 1,887 Minimum per month, normal hours of work, 2004. Men only. 2,075 euros 29% 36.0
Furniture Finisher average salary PPP $ 1,600 $ 1,696 Minimum per month, cabinet maker, normal hours of work, 2004. Men only. 1,839 euros 28% 37.2
Car Mechanic average salary PPP $ 1,585 $ 1,679 Minimum per month, normal hours of work, 2004. Men only. 1,821 euros 28% 38.0
Baker average salary PPP $ 1,526 $ 1,617 Minimum per month, normal hours of work, 2004. Men only. 1,729 euros 27% 38.0
Salesperson average salary PPP $ 1,205 $ 1,277 Minimum per month, normal hours of work, 2004. Men only. 1,278 euros 22% 35.0
Sector              
Financial average income PPP $ 2,590 $ 2,519 Full-time employees, 2003. 3,227 euros 35%
Gas-Electricity-Water average income PPP $ 2,586 $ 2,516 Full-time employees, 2003. 3,223 euros 35%
Real Estate average income PPP $ 2,233 $ 2,173 Full-time employees, 2003. 2,700 euros 33%
Manufacturing average income PPP $ 2,210 $ 2,149 Full-time employees, 2003. 2,632 euros 32%
Mining-Quarrying average income PPP $ 2,190 $ 2,131 Full-time employees, 2003. 2,609 euros 32%
All Sectors average income PPP $ 2,173 $ 2,114 Full-time employees, 2003. 2,589 euros 32%
Transport-Communication average income PPP $ 2,074 $ 2,018 Full-time employees, 2003. 2,435 euros 31%
Construction average income PPP $ 1,993 $ 1,939 Full-time employees, 2003. 2,340 euros 31%
Hotels-Restaurants average income PPP $ 1,587 $ 1,544 Full-time employees, 2003. 1,785 euros 28%
 
  (1) The net average income in "constant 2005 US$" is computed using the Interbank nominal exchange rate [a] and the U.S. inflation rate [d]. The net average income in "constant 2005 US$" at PPP is computed using the OECD PPP exchange rates for actual individual consumption [l] and the U.S. inflation rate [d]. The latter reflects the purchasing power in the United States in 2005.
  (2) The gross monthly average income is based on data supplied by the Belgium Institut National de Statistique to the International Labour Organization [9]. The average income includes the salaries and wages of paid employees. Employees include both men and women unless otherwise noted.
  (3) The compulsory deductions are obtained from a Belgian gross/net income calculator [t] which has been verified to yield the same deductions outlined in the OECD Tax Database [k]. The deductions include social security tax, federal income tax, and special social security tax. The deductions are representative of single-earner-married-without-child status.
  (4) The number of hours is based on data supplied by the Institut National de Statistique to the International Labour Organization.
 
 

Consumption Expenditure

:
annual, per capita, incl. non-monetary expenditure
   Total   Health   Housing (1)  Food (2)  Apparel   Education   Transport     
2001
12,668
9,936
  
704
552
  
2,647
2,076
  
2,364
1,854
  
719
564
  
120
94
  
1,958
1,536
  
constant 2005 US$ at PPP
current euros
(1)    Excl. owner-imputed rent. Incl. actual rentals, water, supply, repairs, fuel, lighting, furniture, household equipment.
(2)    Incl. tobacco, alcoholic beverages, and narcotics.
Source: Enquête sur les budgets des ménages [9], 2001 (2.4 persons and 1.0 earner per household).
 

Workforce Composition

:
percentage of total workforce
   Primary (1)  Manufacturing   Education   Financial   Paid Employees   Unemployed  
2005 2.1   17.4   9.0   3.7   85.4   12.1  
%
(1)    Agriculture, hunting, forestry, fishing, mining, and quarrying.
Source: International Labour Organization [9].
 

Workforce Size

 :  
4.1 million (2005).
Source:   International Labour Organization [9].
 

Population

 :  
10.4 million (2006).
Source:   CIA World Factbook [b].
 

Compulsory Deductions

 :  
41.9% for a single with no child, 30.0% for a single with two children, 33.0% for a one-earner married couple with no child, and 22.2% for a one-earner married couple with two children;
Source:   OECD Tax Database, 2005, combined deductions on a gross monthly salary income of 3,033 euros including family allowances in terms of cash transfers [k].
 

Vacation Time

 :  
20 days per year (legally required minimum vacation time) [e].
 

Inflation

 :  
110.8 (2001), 112.6 (2002), 114.3 (2003), 116.4 (2004), 118.2 (2005);
Source:   IMF inflation rates [d], Index: 1995=100.
 

PPP Exchange Rate

 :  
0.864 (2001), 0.822 (2002), 0.859 (2003), 0.852 (2004), 0.900 (2005), 0.882 (2006), 0.875 (2007), 0.885 (2008);
Source:   OECD PPP exchange rates for actual individual consumption [l], euros per U.S. dollar.
 

Nominal Exchange Rate

 :  
1.115 (2001), 1.057 (2002), 0.883 (2003), 0.804 (2004), 0.803 (2005);
Source:   Interbank nominal exchange rates [a], euros per U.S. dollar.
 

Cost of Living

 :  
0.813 (2001), 0.863 (2002), 1.032 (2003), 1.132 (2004), 1.132 (2005);
Source:   Interbank nominal exchange rates [a] and IMF PPP exchange rates [d], US=1.000.
 

 

References
 
[9]   International Labour Organization. Compilation of average salary income worldwide. Classified by country, by employment category, and by gender.
[a]   Interbank nominal exchange rate, Oanda.com; historical currency converter for over 164 currencies and 3 metals.
[d]   World Economic Outlook Database, September 2006, International Monetary Fund.
[e]   Vacation - Wikipedia, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
[f]   World Tourism Organization, a United Nations agency; survey of vacation days worldwide, 2000.
[k]   OECD Tax Database. Annual database providing comparative information on personal and corporate income tax and consumption tax systems and rates in OECD countries since 2000. Information on social security contributions levied on employees and their employers is also reported.
[l]   OECD. PPP exchange rates for actual individual consumption.
[t]   Belgian net/gross income tax calculator, in French.
 
Other links:
Social Security in Belgium, Social Security Programs Throughout the World, 2004-2005, compiled by the U.S. Social Security Administration.
Belgium: Selected Internet Resources, U.S. Library of Congress.
Belgium Economy Overview, CIA World Factbook.
Belgium: Statistics, Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD).