It is considered that salaries in Spain are much lower than those in the UK and the US. The country does have a minimum wage, but this is much lower than that in the UK. The minimum wage is set to rise by just 1.3% during 2011 and this will take the minimum monthly pay for a full-time worker to €641.50, which is the equivalent of around £551 and $851. This rise is below the level of inflation.

However, the average net salary in Spain is much higher although this depends upon the sector that you are working in. For example, the average monthly salary for a dentist in Spain is around €13,500. Bankers are next in line with a monthly average of €8500 and engineers can expect to earn an average of €4200 per month. A sales manager can expect in the region of €3900 and those who work as a manager can expect just below this at €3500 per month. A dental assistant can earn in the region of €3000 per month and those who work in technical support services can expect around €2800 per month. Those who work in editing services can earn around €2500 per month while a worker in the diplomatic service can earn around €2400. The average monthly salary for a teacher is around €2300.

HGV drivers earn an average of €1800 per month and those who work in sales can expect just less than this at €1750 per month. A waiter can earn a similar salary and those who work at cashier level in banking can expect an average of €1500 per month. Trainee managers earn an average of €1400 per month and computer programmers can expect around €1200 per month, as can administrative staff. Many menial workers such as cleaners and refuse disposal workers will earn less than €1000 per month. The average net salary in Spain has been calculated at €2440 per month, but a great deal depends upon the profession that you are in.

There are regional variations. It should be remembered that some regions are wealthier than others, so a restaurant worker can probably expect to earn more in an establishment in the Costa del Sol or the capital city of Madrid than they would if working in a fairly rural area. Average yearly earnings differ according to the city that you are in.

In Madrid the average annual salary currently stands at €36,902 and this is one of the highest rates. In Barcelona the annual average is close at €33,327, but in Valencia it drops dramatically at €24,512. Bilbao has a much higher rate at €34,596 and in Alicante it is much lower at €22,692. The average salary in Murcia is even lower at €20,226 and in Oviedo it is a little higher at €24,566. It should be remembered that cities such as Madrid have large financial centres and other industries where workers can expect high salaries and this can distort the figures somewhat.