Whether we perceive our earnings as high or low often depends not on whether we live relatively safely and comfortably, or even better than a few years ago, but on comparison with others. The determinant may be whether the neighbor has a better car, goes on a better vacation, dresses better, and is, for example, published monthly average earnings by the Central Statistical Office.
Even this indicator does not reflect “normal” earnings, because the average is overestimated by CEOs and directors who can earn even as much as hundreds of ordinary employees, or even air traffic controllers. Usually it is at least the average salary is earned by much less than half of those employed in the economy.
Therefore, a more precise indicator showing “how you earn in Poland” is the median, which, however, is calculated by the Central Statistical Office every two years and published with a one-year delay. The latest available data say about the salary of 4 thousand. PLN 702 66 groszy in October 2020. For comparison, the average salary in the national economy was then PLN 5,000. PLN 457 98/98 and it was by 16 percent. higher than the median.
Low salary threshold
The OECD has assumed that earnings of two-thirds of the median are the limit of “low wages” in the economy. This would mean 3.1 thousand. PLN gross in October 2020. The minimum wage was then 2.6 thousand. PLN gross, so it can be concluded that the limit reflects the real level of low earnings.
