Ten poorest and richest districts in Belarus. How do salaries differ in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine? Average salaries in various fields

The Belarusian Republic is located next to the Russian Federation. But, despite such a close neighborhood, the foundations and standard of living in these two countries are different. Belarus cannot be called a poor country. It has a fairly developed industry and economic system. But the level of wages leaves much to be desired. And despite this people If you are going to visit the Belarusian Republic, you will need

Geographic map

The national currency of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble. But it should be borne in mind that in everyday life money goes in thousands, and people receive wages in millions. Therefore, most of the data in this article, for ease of perception, will be presented in denominated and Belarusian rubles. D. r. - denominated ruble (100 rubles - 1 million Belarusian rubles, b.p.).

The minimum wage in Belarus has increased since January 1, 2020. This year it is 375 d.r.

Table. The dynamics of the growth of the minimum wage in Belarus in the period from 2003 to 2018

The average salary in Belarus is 1080 rubles. But this figure varies greatly by region.

Table. Average salary in Belarus by regions in 2018-2019

Each region has districts that differ in terms of average wages.

The highest salaries in Belarus are in such regions of the republic:

List of areas with the lowest average wages:

1. Sharkovshinsky district - 4,406,000 b. R.
2. Miory district - 4,678,000 b. R.
3. Loevsky district - 4,709,000 b. R.
4. Ushachsky district - 4,820,000 b. R.
5. Senno district - 4,863,000 b. R.
6. Kormyansky district - 4,902,000 b. R.
7. Beshenkovichi district - 4,932,000 b. R.
8. Mstislavsky district - 4,942,000 b. R.
9. Voronovsky district - 4,991,000 b. R.
10. Oktyabrsky district - 5,052,000 b. R.

In 2018, the average salary in Belarus began to decline sharply.

Table. Dynamics of the average salary in Belarus in 2018

Salaries by industry

In the Republic of Belarus, aviation workers receive the highest salaries. On average, their salary is 2083.2 d.r.

Belarusians working in the chemical industry earn from 1192.2 roubles, while workers in the mining industry receive from 1212 roubles. The remuneration of workers in the field of oil refining is equal to the amount of 1228 d.r.

Specialists in the financial sector and the insurance industry receive approximately 1,394.5 roubles. Employees of the telecommunications sector earn monthly from 1189.5 rubles.

Representatives of the legal field can count on a salary of 1105.7 d.r.

In the field of IT technologies, the average salary is 1638.8 cash rubles. In the construction industry, the salary does not exceed 1148 roubles, and in the field of transport and communications employees do not receive more than 846.9 roubles.

In the education sector, the average monthly salary is 760 roubles. (7.6 million Belarusian rubles). Doctors earn about 895 roubles.

In real estate, the average salary is CU1400. In the hotel and restaurant business, employees earn about 940 roubles. In the manufacturing sector, the average wage is 1,200 roubles.

The lowest salaries

The lowest salaries by specialty in 2020:

Rating of the highest paid specialties

The highest paid specialties in the Republic of Belarus are:

1. Marketing director - 53 million bp. R.
2. Advertising director - 53 million bp. R.
3. Trader - 53 million bp. R.

Salaries in the medical field

A doctor is the most demanded profession in the Republic of Belarus. According to statistics, only the city of Minsk needs more than two thousand medical workers in various industries.

The salary of a surgeon is 960 roubles, and the salary of an obstetrician-gynecologist is 850 roubles. A dentist earns $1,057.8, while an otolaryngologist usually earns no more than $769.

In foreign currency terms, the salary of a doctor in a public hospital is $478, while the salary of a paramedic does not exceed $377.

The salary of a medical worker consists of three parts:

1. Basic salary. The rate is determined according to the billing. Dentists can count on an increase in the rate in the amount of 5% of the total salary and surgeons in the amount of 40%. Doctors who manage structural divisions receive in addition to the basic rate from 10 to 30% of the total monthly salary. If a doctor works in a rural area, then he is legally entitled to a surcharge of 20%.
2. Allowances. It is calculated on the continuity of work experience, achievements in the field of medicine and qualification category.
3. An additional payment that is accrued if a medical worker works on holidays or weekends, night shifts, or supervises postgraduate studies. For work on holidays, the additional payment is double the salary for the working day. If the doctor works in night shifts, then 40% of the shift payment is added to his salary. When supervising students, the additional payment ranges from 15 to 45%, depending on the number of graduate students.

The average salary in Belarus in 2019 is of interest not only to Belarusians themselves, but also to residents of Russia. The fact is that, according to the legislation on the Union State, citizens of both countries can work for each other without obtaining additional permits - and therefore a considerable number of Russians move to Belarus and work there. Let's see what they can count on by finding a job in this country.

The amount of salary depends largely on how efficiently the country's economy works. With regard to Belarus, this is quite true. During the times of the USSR, this republic, although it was largely agrarian, at the same time had a fairly powerful industrial base. Despite the events that have taken place over two and a half decades, by 2019 Belarus still retains a developed industry, especially mechanical engineering and metal processing.

However, it should be borne in mind that in Belarus the salary varies greatly, depending on:

• from the region - the difference can be one and a half to two times;
• from the field of activity in which the employee is employed (the highest salaries are in the industrial and financial spheres, the minimum ones are in agriculture and social areas).

The Belarusian state allocates additional funds for certain areas, but in general it should be noted that the Belarusian economy is going through hard times in 2019. There is a trend towards an increase in average wages - but at the same time, an increase in unemployment is also possible. Inflation also has a certain influence - according to it, Belarus is now in 14th place in the world ranking of states.

In addition, despite the agreements on the Union State, Russia and Belarus have not yet united their currencies. Therefore, although the currency of the neighboring country is also called the ruble, the local ruble is, on average, (as of the summer of 2019) 30-31 Russian. That is why in the future, when speaking about the size of the salary or salary of a Belarusian, it will always be indicated which rubles are in question. In some cases, for convenience, the amount will be indicated in US dollars, since the rate of this currency is known throughout the world.

Territorial distribution of average wages

According to Belarusian statistics, the highest average wage in the region was achieved in 2019 in the Soligorsk district of the Minsk region. There, the average salary is 1,208 Belarusian rubles. Even Minsk itself is a little behind - there are only 1,103 rubles.

On the contrary, Belarusians earn the least in the Sharkovshchina district of the Vitebsk region. It recorded an average salary of only 446 rubles. Such a disproportion is explained by the fact that Minsk and the Minsk region are the region where the majority of large industrial enterprises are concentrated, and Salihorsk, in addition, is the center for the extraction of potash salt. Vitebsk region is predominantly agricultural.

1. Minsk.
2. Brest.
3. Grodno.
4. Gomel.
5. Mogilev.
6. Vitebsk.

In general, in the country, the average salary of a worker in Belarus in 2019 is about 795.20 Belarusian rubles, or about 23 thousand Russian rubles.

Salaries, depending on the field of activity

In Belarus, as of 2019, the following professions are most in demand:

1. trade sphere (from manager to sales assistant);
2. engineering field;
3. programming and IT-sphere;
4. medicine;
5. pedagogy.

However, the demand does not mean that in each of these areas the salaries are maximum. The salaries of financial managers and programmers are indeed high (1,481 and 2,460 Belarusian rubles, respectively), but teachers can count on only 538 rubles, and in healthcare - only 615 rubles.

For comparison, here are the average salaries in some other areas of activity:

• agricultural workers, workers of forestry and fisheries - about 543 rubles;
• builders - 779 rubles;
• social workers - 435 rubles;
• transport - 844 rubles;
• cultural workers (libraries, museums, etc.) - 430 rubles.

The minimum you can count on

As in Russia, in Belarus there is a minimum amount of the amount that the employer is obliged to pay to his employee. As of June 2019, it is 265 local rubles. The value was set in January and has not changed since then.

However, in addition to the local analogue of the minimum wage, there is also such a value as the cost of living. This value is set by the government and shows how much money is needed, in fact, to guarantee the survival of a citizen. As of June 2019, the budget for this minimum in Belarus is 183.82 local rubles.

Belarusian pensions

In conclusion, we should mention what pensioners in this country can expect. Belarus has:

1. Labor pension - accrued after 15 years of service.
2. Social - for the unemployed.

The retirement age of our neighbors is:

• for men - 60 years;
• for women - 55.

For some citizens engaged in a profession with special conditions, the age may be reduced. This applies to the military, employed in aviation, teachers, athletes, etc.

The amount of the pension depends on how much the citizen paid to the Pension Fund. The minimum amount is currently approximately equal to 5,500 Russian rubles.

$500 per person

Recently, the authorities of Belarus have set themselves the task of bringing the average wage to 500 US dollars per person per month.

The execution of this program is scheduled for December 2019. Since the plans were officially announced, the country's leadership will try to:

• not reduce the exchange rate of the Belarusian ruble lower than the current one at the time of the publication of the plans;
• increase the wages of workers in Belarus to the specified amount.

However, as of July 2019, the plans are still far from being fulfilled. In particular, the media note that for the remaining 7 months, an increase of at least $74 is required.

Important! However, over the past 10 years, the overall average wage has consistently shown an upward trend. From May 2007 to May 2019, it grew by almost 13 times.

Thus, for a simple worker, Belarus is a rather attractive place where you can provide yourself at a decent level due to your work. There are certain problems in the economy, but they are not serious enough to seriously interfere with decent earnings.

Back in 2017, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko set the task of bringing the average income of a resident of the country to 1,000 Belarusian rubles. As practice has shown, it was not possible to do this (if you do not pay attention to the December jump, which has nothing to do with the real state of affairs in the economy). Moreover, incomes in other regions of Belarus, except for the capital and the Minsk region, remain quite low. Lukashenka also focused on the low incomes of representatives of the public sector, which, according to him, should have been given additional emphasis. However, no fundamental changes have taken place here either.

Average salaries in various fields

Perhaps, as in many other countries, in Belarus, workers from the air transport sector earn the most. The income in this industry is 2,200 rubles.

In second place are employees of enterprises specializing in the chemical industry. Here you can earn an average of 1,775 rubles. The third line in the ranking was occupied by the oil refining industry, where they receive 1,768 rubles. Also high wages in industries such as:

● finance – 1,740 rubles;
● insurance - 1,739 rubles;
● mining industry – RUB 1,460;
● design - 1,330 rubles;
● jurisprudence - 1,200 rubles;
● science – 1,150 rubles;
● pharmaceuticals – 1,050 rubles.

The employees of archives, museums and libraries manage to earn the least. The income of employees in these industries is only 500 rubles. Slightly higher wages for social workers. Here you can get an average of 508 rubles. Also, creative activity is not distinguished by high earnings. People receive only about 550 rubles a month.

What will be the average salary by the end of the year

So, the December jump turned out to be only an episodic surge to imitate the flurry of activity in front of President Alexander Lukashenko. This was shown by the average income of Belarusians in 2018, which fell sharply in January. The president demands that the task be completed, but there is no real opportunity to carry it out. Businesses are simply not ready for this. Accordingly, it is hardly worth building any castles in the air around the statements of the President. Reality will be harsher.

Salary indicates the standard of living of people in the country. The average salary in Belarus (minimum wage) is calculated using the arithmetic mean method. This means that when calculating the SZP, the entire volume of FL is summed up and divided among the employed population.

According to a sociological survey for 2016, only 15.6% of the population are satisfied with the standard of living. Such data can be explained by the fact that in 2015 only a third of the working population could boast of an average level of earnings and, accordingly, of life. Although the majority of Belarusians note material stability, the social sphere suffers.

Over the past few years, from 2015-2017, the situation has not changed for the better due to the crisis. The local currency in the country has significantly weakened, which is why in 2016 they made a denomination, cut off zeros in thousands of Belarusian rubles.

Experts predict that the standard of living in the country will decline in the next 5 years. The situation will affect the middle class the most.

Features of life in Belarus for 2018:

• free medicine;
• quality roads, cleanliness;
• lack of corruption;
• the unemployment rate is 1.1%.

Salary dynamics

The national currency of the Republic of Belarus is the Belarusian ruble. After the denomination, the currency was cut by four zeros. In the graphs, the data is indicated in the old currency. If before the denomination people received salary in millions, then after the nomination in 2016 they began to receive in rubles: 100 den.rub. = 1 million Bel. rubles.

The minimum wage as of January 1, 2017 was 265 den. rub. In August 2017, it remains at the same level. Relative to 2016, the minimum salary increased by 11% and amounted to 230 den. rub.

Table. The dynamics of the growth of the minimum wage in the Republic of Belarus in the period from 2000 to 2017:

average salary

The average salary indicator indicates the level of wages. Performance depends entirely on it. In order for the organization to make a profit, and the economy to keep at an appropriate level, it is necessary that the growth of wages be lower than labor productivity.

By July 2017, the average salary of the Republic of Belarus is 827.5 rubles, which is equal to 426 US dollars. Below you can see the growth dynamics of NFP against the US dollar since 2014.

Dynamics of the average salary in the Republic of Belarus in dollars from 2014 to 2017

Comparative analysis of the average salary for 2014-2017 showed that the income of Belarusians increased by 147 den.rub, however, in dollar terms, the average salary, on the contrary, decreased by $180. Consider the average monthly salary in the Republic of Belarus from 2013-2017.

Average monthly salary in Belarus from 2013 to 2017

The accrued salary of employees in January 2013 amounted to 436.8 den.rub. (in translation), which is 390.7 den.rub. less than September 2017. There was an increase in salary by 89% over 4 years. In 2017, the average salary grew every month. Relative to January 2017 until July 2017, there was an increase of 14.9%.

It is possible to trace the dynamics of the growth of the average wage relative to the closest neighbors of the Republic of Belarus - Ukraine and Russia:

Dynamics of wages in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine in 2015-2016

Thus, in December 2016, wages in Belarus were lower by $18 compared to 2017. However, the country significantly outperformed Ukraine by $161 and lagged behind the Russian Federation by $357. High earnings in Russia also correspond to the satisfaction of the population, which cannot be said about Ukraine, where people are completely dissatisfied with the economic situation in the country. The Republic of Belarus is in the middle position and is far from the poorest country among the countries of the former Soviet Union. Although the general atmosphere remained the same as in the USSR.

Average salary by regions

The Republic of Belarus is divided into six regions. You can trace the leading areas in terms of average wages in the following table:

Average salary by regions and leading districts in the Republic of Belarus for 2016

According to the data for 2016, the leading position is occupied by the Soligorsk district 1293.5. In terms of wages, he is 10.9% the capital of the Republic of Belarus. Many are interested in: what is the salary in Minsk? It is noteworthy that the capital is not ahead of the wages of a small district of the Gomel region - Soligorsk. In Minsk, there are still high wages relative to other regions of Belarus and even relative to the Minsk region. The graph shows that the region lags behind the capital's earnings by 30%.

Brest and Gomel regions follow by 39% relative to Minsk. The Grodno and Vitebsk regions were not far behind by 40.8% and 41.9%. The last place in terms of wages by regions is occupied by the Mogilev region - 666 rubles. This figure is 42% lower than capital earnings. The lowest ZPRB is in the Sharkovshchina district of the Vitebsk region.

Average salary by industry

The most paid industry in Belarus is aviation and information technology. The average salary is 2082-3500 den.rub. - this is approximately 1073-1804 US dollars. Do not lag behind and financiers, insurers 2790 rubles. Belarusians working in the technical, oil refining industry earn on average from 1212 to 1166.2 den. It's about $600. Employees of telecommunications do not lag behind them. Engineers and architects receive an average of 970 rubles. The following is a table of average earnings for some industries for 2016:

The value of the salary directly depends on the profession of a person and labor productivity. For 2016-2017, the most popular specialties in the labor market can be called:

• manager, trade specialist, sales representative;
• laborers: builders, drivers, masons, loaders, painters;
• sellers;
• engineering specialties;
• accountant;
• teachers, doctors, cooks, seamstresses.

The demand for the profession does not mean high wages. You can note the profession of programmers. In 2016, this specialty is one of the highest paid professions in the Republic of Belarus. Social workers and agricultural workers have the lowest income. The average salary in the Republic of Belarus after the crisis at the beginning of 2015 began to change by months. In January 2016, it was $332, and in February it increased by $50. In March, the WFP was $410.5.

The size of the salary largely depends on the effective work of the country's economy. The present level of the country is absolutely justified. If in Soviet times Belarus had a fairly strong industrial base, and was also considered an agrarian country. Now, over the past 20 years, Belarus has retained a developed industry, but it lags far behind the Russian Federation and other developed countries.

According to statistics, the country experiences crises every 2-3 years, the local currency depreciates. Therefore, many residents are accustomed to keeping their savings in dollars.

Although the RFP currently allows citizens to live without poverty. In the country, according to statistics for 2016, 37% of the inhabitants belong to the middle class. For foreigners and those working abroad and having earnings in dollars, living in the Republic of Belarus will be quite convenient.

One of the main indicators of the success of economic policy in the country is the income of its citizens. The most commonly used indicator in its assessment is the average wage. It allows you to find out the income level of an average citizen, although, of course, it also has its drawbacks. Let's find out what the average wage of workers and employees in Russia, as well as in other countries, is.

The meaning of the term "average wage"

The average salary, according to the methodology, is calculated by dividing the total salary by a unit of time (year, month, etc.). This calculation is carried out in order to determine how much income a particular person received for a certain period. If we take this definition in the context of an entire region or state, then, among other things, the total salary should be divided by the number of all persons employed in a given territory. The result of these calculations is called the average per capita income. In addition, there is a calculation of the average wage in the context of a specific sector of the national economy. In this case, the same scheme is applied, but only data on a specific sector of the economy are taken into account.

Disadvantages of this indicator

At the same time, the average wage cannot be the only indicator characterizing the standard of living in the country, since the price factor should also be taken into account. But there are other shortcomings of this average approach. For example, the calculation of the average wage does not take into account the moment of social stratification. To exaggerate, the average salary of five people, of whom four receive a thousand rubles a month, and one a million, is 200,800 rubles a month. But this says practically nothing about the real income of these five people.

In addition, the average salary in the country does not include income received outside the official place of work or in the absence of registration. Her calculation does not include the so-called salary in envelopes.

Application in practice of calculations

The average salary of workers and employees in the country is taken into account primarily for statistical purposes, to determine the level of income of citizens, as well as to compare it with the corresponding indicators of other states. In addition, sometimes this indicator is used when calculating specific budget items of a country or region.

For each specific person, the average wage can also be calculated. It is calculated for various purposes. For example, it may be needed by a person applying to government agencies for subsidies, material assistance, or for a loan to banking structures. In these cases, the confirmation of the calculations is a certificate of average wages. In addition, the calculation is made directly at the enterprise - to determine the amount of vacation pay, sick leave and other payments. In this case, a certificate of average wage is not required, everything is regulated by on-farm settlements, in accordance with the Labor Code and other legal acts.

Although the list of possible options is not limited to this list.

Settlement procedure in Russia

The procedure for calculating the average wage in Russia is regulated by laws and decrees of state bodies of the Russian Federation. In particular, the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 922 of December 24, 2007 and the Labor Code are taken as a basis.

According to these legal acts, the average salary of employees of enterprises and organizations is calculated for the last twelve months of work of a particular person at the enterprise in the amount of income actually accrued to him and the time actually worked. The calculation period is taken up to the last full month inclusive.

The average wage includes all types of material remuneration for labor received at a particular enterprise, including additional payments, allowances and bonuses. Social payments and all incomes that are not related to wages are not taken into account. For example, material assistance, travel allowance, reimbursement of previously spent funds for household needs, and so on.

Information about average earnings

A certificate of average wage to determine the amount of income of a citizen is a document that confirms the relevant calculations. There is no single established form for the Russian Federation. Therefore, the format of this document is often arbitrary. First of all, this concerns certificates issued for submission to various banking structures.

But the arbitrariness of the form does not negate the presence of mandatory details. The certificate must indicate the surname, name, patronymic of the employee, the name of the enterprise, the date of issue, the signature of the head, the period for which the average wage is calculated, the monthly breakdown of earnings and the total average amount.

But still, there are cases when individual organizations to which a person applies require the provision of an approved document. Most often, they themselves issue a certificate form to fill out at the enterprise. First of all, this applies to state structures. For example, in order to receive a subsidy, you will have to carry a certificate confirming your average salary level of a strictly prescribed form.

Each enterprise must issue the said document at the request of its employee.

Dynamic indicators of average wages in Russia

The arithmetic average wage in Russia has fluctuated greatly in the years since the collapse of the USSR. So, at the time of the collapse of the Union in December 1991, this figure was 101.36 in terms of dollars. In 1992, it reached its minimum. Then the average monthly income of a Russian was only $23.96. In the following years, significant growth began, and the arithmetic average wage in Russia exceeded $180 per month. But then a default followed, and the average salary in 1999 fell again to almost $73.

After the denomination of the ruble and the default, a slow but steady increase in the average wage began. In 2013, it peaked in dollar terms and amounted to $856, or 26.6 thousand rubles. But then followed the economic crisis and the devaluation of the ruble. This led to the fact that, although in 2015 the average wage increased to 30 thousand rubles, in dollar terms it almost halved compared to 2013, and amounted to $449.

The forecast for the near future remains disappointing. A slight increase in the average wage in rubles is expected in the short term, but at the same time there will be a decrease in the level of wages in the dollar equivalent, as well as in real incomes of the population. In fact, this trend has already been observed in recent years. How strong the fall will be depends largely on the further development of the economic situation in the country as a whole.

Average salary by regions of Russia

In Russia, in 2015, the highest average wage of workers is in Moscow. It reaches 60.8 thousand rubles, which is almost twice the average Russian level. Then follows the Nenets Autonomy - 54.1 thousand rubles, the Chukotka Autonomy - 51.0 thousand rubles, the Magadan Region - 50.8 thousand rubles, the Republic of Sakha - 48.6 thousand rubles. The lowest average salary of workers in Russia was recorded in Novosibirsk (16.0 thousand rubles) and Kemerovo (15.9 thousand rubles) regions.

Thus, the highest average salary in the Russian Federation is paid in the capital and the Far Eastern Federal District, and the lowest in some regions of Siberia.

Average salary by industry

In the context of industries, the average wage is also calculated. It is determined by dividing the total income of all persons employed in a particular sector of the national economy by their number and by the period of time that they actually worked.

The highest level of wages in 2014 was among persons employed in financial activities (bank employees, etc.). Their average monthly salary was 66,605 rubles. Workers engaged in the extraction of various minerals received a little less - 57,080 rubles. Employees of government agencies and the military industry already received a significantly lower salary, although, when compared with other segments of the economy, it is still rather big - 40,219 rubles. Then came transport and communications workers (36,769 rubles), realtors (36,521 rubles), as well as those employed in the field of fish farming and fishing (35,663 rubles).

The lowest level of average wages in 2014 was in the hotel and restaurant business (19,720 rubles) and agriculture (17,312 rubles). Even less was received by people employed in the production of textile goods. There, the average income is a little more than 11 thousand rubles a month.

To summarize, we can say that the highest wages in Russia are received by employees of the financial sector, the communications industry, resource companies and information technology specialists. The least received in the service industries, agriculture and light industry.

Average salaries in other countries of the world

In different countries of the world, the size of the average wage varies significantly. In addition, even within one state, it can change significantly over a relatively short period. This is due to the fact that, unlike the minimum wage, the value of the average is not regulated anywhere, and there is no clear link to its value. In the chart below, you can see how this value looked in 2012 for various countries of the world (in terms of US dollars).

In 2015, the situation has changed significantly. So, in Norway the average salary is $4600, in the USA - $4400, in Germany and Japan - $4100 each. South Korea is significantly behind in this regard, although it also has the mentioned indicator at a very decent level - $2,400. In Greece, which is currently experiencing an acute crisis, the income of the population is low by European standards, but nevertheless decent enough compared to many other countries. The average salary in this state is $1500.

The largest income among the post-Soviet countries is received by residents of Estonia. Their average salary is $1200. But the championship among the CIS states is held by Kazakhstan with $660, although until recently Russia was in the lead, which at the moment, as mentioned above, the average wage has fallen to $449. Approximately at the same level are the incomes of residents of Belarus. But in Ukraine they are even lower and average from 120 to 220 US dollars. Closes the list of CIS countries in terms of average wages Tajikistan. His figure is at the level of $120.

If we consider the world as a whole, then the outsiders in terms of the level of average wages at the moment are Zambia ($82), Cambodia ($75), Benin ($63) and Nigeria ($36). Thus, we see that citizens of the USA, Western Europe, and Japan have the highest wages, and residents of a number of countries in Africa and Southeast Asia have the lowest wages. The latter have a very low standard of living.

Calculation problems

But before comparing the level of average wages in different countries, you need to know a few significant nuances. First of all, as discussed above, prices are often quite high in high-income countries as well. Also, do not forget that all analogies between the average salary are carried out in one world currency (dollar, euro, and so on), and a sharp drop in the national monetary units of some countries (devaluation) in most cases outpaces the inflation rate. Although this is more typical for unstable economies or a period of crisis.

So even with a high average wage, the overall standard of living in a particular state may be lower than in a country where it is lower.

In addition, there is another problem with which the “average wage” indicator is associated. Its calculation is done exclusively from the salary accrued officially. That is, the amounts issued in envelopes are not taken into account for calculating vacation pay and sick leave and are not included in the pension experience, and when issuing certificates for applying for a loan, no one includes them. But, nevertheless, this is the real wages of citizens, albeit hidden. Naturally, this type of income is not included in the given statistics by country. That is, it turns out that in one country the official average salary may be higher than in the other, but due to the high level of shadowing, the real average salary in another country is still higher.

Well, we should not forget that in the calculations, as a rule, the accrued salary is given, that is, the so-called "dirty", without deducting taxes and fees. But it depends on the level of tax pressure in each individual country how much more money needs to be subtracted from the amounts given in order to get the average salary given in hand. Again, there is a nuance here. In one country, nominal wages may be higher, while in another, real wages may be higher.

Other ways to measure quality of life

Thus, we can state the fact that the average wage indicator, although it is a rather important component in characterizing the general well-being of citizens of a particular state, cannot be considered a key one. When determining the standard of living of the population of each country, a number of important factors should be used, which only together can form a more or less complete picture for experts.

One such comprehensive assessment method is the Human Development Index (HDI). Until 2013, it was called the Human Development Index (HDI). Although there are disputes about its complete objectivity, since a number of subjective factors are used in calculating this indicator, such as the level of education and freedoms. However, of course, this index more accurately characterizes the standard of living in a particular country than the average wage. At the moment, the world leaders, according to the calculation of the HDI, are Norway, Australia and Switzerland. Russia is on the 57th place, Ukraine - on the 83rd.

In addition, there are alternative methods for calculating the well-being of the population. One of them is the quality of life index. When calculating it, an integrated approach is also used. At the moment, the world leaders in this indicator are all the same Switzerland, Australia and Norway. Russia ranks 72nd, Ukraine - 78th.

As you can see for yourself, the leaders here are the same, but they are only arranged in the reverse order, in contrast to the ranking of countries according to the human development index.

General characteristics of the indicator

As you can see, the level of the average salary cannot characterize the standard of living or the real income of the population with complete objectivity. Nevertheless, this indicator remains a rather important factor for determining a number of basic values ​​when calculating the budget of a particular state or social guarantees for its citizens provided by it. In addition, the average salary of a particular person is the main criterion in calculating the social insurance payments due to him in connection with temporary disability, when calculating a pension or vacation pay and a number of other payments. Although here an important role is played by seniority, as well as a number of other significant factors used in the calculations by government agencies.