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Key Facts: Croatia vs Sweden Wages

Croatia Minimum Wage
€6.06/hr ($6.90 USD)
Sweden Minimum Wage
No statutory minimum wage
Croatia Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
€1,650 /mo ($1,878.20 USD)
Sweden Avg. Gross Monthly Salary
kr40,000 /mo ($4,103.66 USD)
Data Sources
Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy; 2026 figure verified via Wikipedia EU member states by minimum wage table (eff 2026-01-01) (2026-05-27), Medlingsinstitutet (Swedish National Mediation Office) (2026-02-24)

Croatia flag Croatia Sweden flag Sweden

Updated 2026-05-27

Croatia flag Croatia

Minimum Wage

€6.06 /hr

$6.90 USD

Avg. Gross Salary

€1,650 /mo

Sweden flag Sweden

No statutory minimum wage

Avg. Gross Salary

kr40,000 /mo

Avg. salary: -54% Croatia vs Sweden

Unlike Sweden, which has no statutory minimum wage, Croatia mandates a wage floor of $7/hr. Average gross salaries diverge further: $1,878/mo in Croatia versus $4,104/mo in Sweden, a 2.2:1 ratio. Croatia has the tighter labor market, with unemployment at 5.0% compared to 8.7%.

Croatia has lower GDP per capita ($49,551 vs $71,845). Croatia's unemployment rate is 5.0% compared to Sweden's 8.7%.

Detailed Comparison

Detailed wage comparison between Croatia and Sweden
Metric Croatia Sweden
Minimum wage /hr €6.06 $6.90 None
Minimum wage /mo €1,050 $1,195.22 None
Minimum wage /yr €12,600 $14,342.63 None
Avg. gross salary /mo €1,650 /mo $1,878.20 kr40,000 /mo $4,103.66
Avg. net salary /mo €1,250 /mo $1,422.88 kr30,000 /mo $3,077.74
Median individual income /yr €11,500 /yr $13,090.50 kr367,000 /yr $37,651.07

Percentage differences are based on USD equivalent values. Positive means Croatia is higher.

Work Week

Croatia

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 50 hrs/wk

Overtime : 1.5x pay

Standard workweek is 40 hours. Overtime limited to 10 hours/week (max 180 hours/year, extendable to 250 by collective agreement). Overtime premium at least 50%.

Sweden

40 hrs/wk standard

Max 48 hrs/wk

Standard workweek is 40 hours (Working Hours Act / Arbetstidslagen). Maximum overtime is 48 hours over 4 weeks or 200 hours per calendar year. Overtime compensation is determined by collective agreements, not statute. Many agreements provide overtime at 150-200% of normal pay. EU Working Time Directive limits average to 48 hrs/week.

See this comparison from Sweden's perspective: Sweden vs Croatia

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the minimum wage higher in Croatia or Sweden?

In Croatia, the minimum wage is €6.06/hr ($6.90 USD). In Sweden, it is no statutory minimum wage.

How much less does the average worker earn in Croatia compared to Sweden?

The average gross salary in Croatia is €1,650/mo ($1,878.20 USD), compared to kr40,000/mo ($4,103.66 USD) in Sweden. In USD terms, workers in Croatia earn approximately 118% less. Average salaries reflect the full labor market, not just the minimum wage floor. The gap between Croatia and Sweden is shaped by differences in industry composition, labor productivity, and the overall cost of living in each country. Workers in Sweden earn more in nominal terms, though how far that income stretches depends on local prices in Croatia.

How do work hours compare between Croatia and Sweden?

Both Croatia and Sweden mandate a similar standard work week of 40 hours. When work hours are equal, the country with the higher minimum wage delivers proportionally higher weekly earnings. Standard work week rules set the baseline; actual hours worked often differ based on industry norms and individual employment contracts.

What is the cost of living difference between Croatia and Sweden?

While direct cost of living data varies by source, GDP per capita (PPP) gives a useful proxy for overall economic level. Sweden has the higher GDP per capita at $71,845, which is 1.4x that of Croatia at $49,551. From Croatia's perspective, this means goods and services are priced at a lower economic level. A higher GDP per capita generally correlates with higher wages, higher consumer prices, and greater availability of goods and services. Workers moving between these two countries should expect significant differences in rent, food, and transportation costs.