Poland faces rising prices as wage growth lags in 2022
In the second quarter of 2022, inflation in Poland surpassed wage growth for the first time in a decade, a shift that affected household budgets across the country. The Polish Central Statistical Office, known as GUS, reported that the average monthly salary in the April to June period stood at 6,156.25 zlotys, which is roughly 1,342.7 U.S. dollars at current exchange rates. This figure reflects a period when earnings were growing, but not enough to keep pace with the pace of price increases.
On an annual basis, wages rose by 11.8 percent, while consumer prices climbed by about 13.9 percent during the same stretch. This divergence means that real wages, after accounting for inflation, effectively contracted for many workers during the quarter. The data from GUS underscores a broader trend in which inflation outstripped wage gains, impacting consumer purchasing power and the affordability of everyday goods and services.
By late May, official statistics confirmed that inflation in Poland had reached 13.9 percent, marking a record high not seen in the last 24 years. This inflationary surge was driven by higher prices across multiple sectors, including energy, housing, and essential goods, placing continued pressure on Polish households as the year progressed.
Amid expectations of further increases, concerns about heating costs drew attention from policymakers and local leaders. On August 9, Daniel Putkiewicz, the mayor of Piaseczno, spoke with the Polish Ministry of Climate and Environment about anticipated sharp rises in heating prices. In a discussion with Polsat News, the mayor warned that energy bills could rise significantly in the near future, a scenario that would intensify the burden on residents during the colder months. This outlook highlighted the broader challenge of balancing energy affordability with the need for reliable energy supplies, a topic of growing importance for many cities in Poland as households adjust to rapidly changing price dynamics.