TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Real wages in Taiwan grew at their fastest first-quarter pace in four years, signaling a break from recent inflation-driven stagnation, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said Monday.
Wages rose 0.81% year-on-year in Q1, while real total wages—which include bonuses and overtime—climbed 0.73%, both outpacing inflation for the first time since 2020, per CNA.
In March, average wages reached NT$47,525 (US$1,500), up 3.15% from a year earlier, per UDN. With bonuses and overtime of NT$7,598 added, total average wages climbed to NT$55,123, a 3.09% increase.
Q1 nominal wage growth reached 3.03%—the strongest growth for that period in 25 years. However, officials emphasized that real wage gains, which adjust for inflation, offer a clearer picture of purchasing power.
The agency also noted a widening wage gap: 69.77% of workers earned less than the average regular wage in Q1, a record high. That share has steadily increased from around 66% five years ago.
DGBAS Census Department Deputy Director Tan Wen-ling (譚文玲) said high-income earners skew the average upward, pushing more workers below the mean. Wage decile data showed stronger growth at both the top and bottom ends, with the D1 and D8 segments rising more than 4%.
To better reflect typical earnings, the agency reported the median regular wage for March at NT$38,111—up 3.03% year-on-year. The median offers a more accurate view of wage trends by reducing the impact of outliers.
By gender, Q1 median wages were NT$35,994 for women and NT$39,916 for men, up 3.14% and 3.28%, respectively. Workers under 30 had a median wage of NT$31,464, compared to NT$42,898 for those aged 50–64.
Education level also played a role. Workers with college degrees earned a Q1 median of NT$40,353, while postgraduates earned NT$65,979—the fastest-growing group over the past five years.