Warsaw Salaries Rise as 20,000+ New Businesses Are Created

Warsaw remains a city of opportunity. In January 2026, the average gross salary in Warsaw was PLN 10,847.21. Year-on-year, salaries are up 6.6%, showing steady growth, while month-on-month they fell PLN 659 (5.7%) from December due to the usual post-holiday adjustment.

New Businesses Fuel Warsaw’s Economy

Over the past year, more than 20,000 new companies were created, pushing the total number of registered businesses past 600,000—a 3.6% increase year-on-year. Growth is strongest in:

• Professional, scientific, and technical services (19.4%)

• Trade (15.8%)

• Information and communication (13.0%)

Warsaw isn’t just a city of rising salaries—it’s a hub for entrepreneurship, attracting talent and investment across multiple sectors.

Employment and Sector Trends

Employment in Warsaw’s business sector remains stable, with 1,117,600 people employed, essentially unchanged from January 2025. While overall employment isn’t surging, the combination of rising salaries and new business creation points to a robust labour market.

Sector highlights (year-on-year):

• Transport and logistics saw the largest salary growth, up 11.7%, reflecting strong demand.

• Hospitality and gastronomy followed with an 8.7% rise, signalling recovery and competition for skilled staff.

• Construction wages dipped slightly (-0.6%), while other sectors mostly maintained steady growth.

These trends show that Warsaw’s economy is not only paying more, but also rewarding growth in key sectors, even as overall employment remains stable.

Population Growth Supports the Market

Warsaw’s population continues to rise gradually, up around 0.12% year-on-year, now approaching 1.86 million. This steady growth supports a growing labour force and business activity across the city.

While Warsaw’s wider metropolitan population has been largely flat, more people are choosing to live outside the city and commute in, with public transport use reaching over 932 million journeys in 2025, and Szybka Kolej Miejska commuter rail passengers up 32 % compared with 2024 — a clear sign of rising daily travel into the centre.

Even with the seasonal dip of PLN 659 (5.7%), Warsaw’s salaries are rising, new businesses are being created, and the city continues to attract talent and investment.