Average net salary in Cluj 40-45% higher than in other counties in North-West Region

The average net salary in Cluj County is 40-45% higher than in other counties in the North-West Region, according to data released on Friday by the Bistrita-Nasaud Regional Directorate of Statistics.The North-West Region includes the counties of Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Cluj, Maramures, Satu Mare, and Salaj.The published statistics refer to the average salary recorded from January to August, both at the regional level and in each of the six counties.In August, for example, the average monthly income in Cluj County was close to 6,100 lei, while in Bihor, which ranked second in the regional standings, it was 4,322 lei, and in Bistrita-Nasaud, the lowest-ranked county, the average net salary was 4,186 lei.Compared to August 2023, the average net salary in Cluj increased by 8.64%, while in Bistrita-Nasaud, the increase was 16%.At the end of August, there were over 804,000 employees registered in the North-West Region, with 60% working in services, 38% in industry and construction, and the remaining 2% in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.The number of unemployed persons at the same time was approximately 28,800, with a regional unemployment rate of 2.6%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points compared to August 2023.Regarding industrial production in the first eight months, the North-West Region experienced a slight decline compared to the same period in 2023.Industrial production increased in Cluj County (up 10%) and Satu Mare (approximately 6%), while declines were noted in the other counties, particularly in Bistrita-Nasaud (down 12%) and Maramures (down 11.6%).The Bistrita-Nasaud Regional Directorate of Statistics also published data on international trade in goods for the first six months of the year, indicating that imports, estimated at nearly 5.86 billion euro, exceeded exports by about 400 million euro.The counties with the most significant share in foreign trade are Cluj (exports of 1.5 billion euro and imports of 2.35 billion euro) and Bihor (exports of 1.46 billion euro and imports of 1.49 billion euro).Maramures, Salaj, and Satu Mare are the only counties in the region that export more than they import, with their exports in the first semestre of the year accounting for about 40% of the regional total.