Press release No. 280 of 4 July 2022
WIESBADEN – There are still considerable regional differences in Germany regarding the costs paid by employers for one hour worked. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that, based on the most recent comparative figures available for 2020, the differences observed are no longer between eastern and western Germany but between three groups of Länder, with each group having a rather homogeneous level of labour costs. A comparison between Länder shows that labour costs were highest in Hamburg (42.85 euros per hour worked), followed by Hessen (40.29 euros). Across the Federation, labour costs averaged 31.17 euros per hour.
Labour costs were still lowest in the east German non-city Länder in 2020. Employers there paid between 29.27 euros per hour worked in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and 31.07 euros in Brandenburg.
