The average gross wage in the Netherlands, including all employer costs, was around €34.80 an hour in 2017, according to new research by European statistics agency Eurostat. That is a rise of 2.4% on 2016 and roughly in line with increase in the EU as whole, Eurostat said.

Denmark topped the list with an average hourly rate of €42.50, followed by Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden and France, then the Netherlands.

Bulgaria was bottom of the list, with a gross average wage of €4.90 an hour, followed by Romania on €6.30.

The figures are based on companies with at least 10 employees and exclude farming and the civil service.