Taipei: Growth in the average monthly regular wage in Taiwan rose by more than 3 percent in 2025, marking the highest increase in 26 years and surpassing inflation, according to the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS).
According to Focus Taiwan, data from the DGBAS revealed that the average monthly regular wage in the industrial and service sectors stood at NT$47,884 (US$1,512) in 2025, representing a 3.09 percent increase from the previous year. After adjusting for inflation, the average real regular wage also increased by 1.40 percent to NT$43,690, indicating growth above inflation and reaching the highest level in five years.
The report further highlighted that the average annual aggregate earnings, which include regular wages and non-regular wages such as overtime pay and bonuses, amounted to NT$760,632, marking a 3.91 percent rise from the previous year. Additionally, the average annual real aggregate earnings grew by 2.21 percent to NT$694,008, also outpacing inflation, with this growth being the highest in seven years.
Tan Wen-ling, deputy director of the DGBAS Census Department, attributed the rise in regular wages to an increase in the minimum wage. With the economy expanding, employers distributed bonuses and required overtime hours, thereby boosting non-regular wages. In 2025, Taiwan's economy experienced an impressive growth rate of 8.63 percent, driven by exports related to AI applications.
Local consumer price index (CPI) growth eased to 1.66 percent, below the central bank's 2 percent alert level, ensuring that both the average regular wage and earnings surpassed inflation. However, 69.74 percent of local employees received a regular wage below the monthly average, a trend that has continued for four consecutive years due to highly paid employees skewing the average.
The median monthly regular wage rose 3.03 percent in 2025 to NT$38,406, while the real median monthly wage, adjusted for inflation, increased by 1.35 percent to NT$35,042. The DGBAS noted that robust global demand for AI applications led to an increase in average monthly overtime hours in the local electronics industry, reaching 27.9 hours, the highest in 46 years.
Tan also mentioned that demand for AI and high-performance computing devices exceeded expectations, benefiting the export-oriented electronic components industry. As a result, the industry reported an 8.52 percent rise in average aggregate earnings in 2025, the highest of any industry in Taiwan.