Truck Driver Salary in Europe, 2026
A category CE driver earns between €1,300 and €3,700 gross per month depending on the country — before per diems, which on international routes can add several hundred more. Same licence, same roads, up to a three-fold difference in pay.
Monthly pay by country
| Country | Gross per month | Per diems |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | €3,200 – €3,700 | — |
| United Kingdom | €3,200 | — |
| Germany | €3,000 | €14 part day / €28 full day |
| Italy | €2,900 | — |
| France | €2,400 – €2,800 | €14–17 meals + ~€70 overnight |
| Spain | €1,700 – €2,200 | €600–1,200/month on international runs |
| Hungary | €1,400 – €1,800 | — |
| Romania | €1,300 – €1,800 | — |
| Poland | €1,700 | — |
| Czech Republic | €1,360 – €1,576 | — |
The Czech figure, from official data
The ISPV wage survey run by the Czech Ministry of Labour publishes medians and quartiles by occupation code. For CZ-ISCO 8332 — lorry and bus drivers — the 2025 private-sector figures are:
| Gross Kč | Gross € | Net € | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower quartile | 22,925 | €947 | — |
| Median | 38,166 | €1,576 | €1,263 |
| Upper quartile | 56,789 | €2,346 | — |
Domestic and international haulage combined. Source: ISPV 2025 via NSP.CZ, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Converted at 24.21 Kč/€. Net calculated on 2026 tax and insurance rates.
The spread is the interesting part. The upper quartile is nearly two and a half times the lower. What separates them is international work, night driving and years of clean record — not the licence itself.
Open driver vacancies
Frequently asked questions
How much does a truck driver earn in Europe?
Between roughly €1,300 and €3,700 gross per month depending on the country, before per diems. Western Europe pays two to three times Eastern Europe for the same licence and the same routes.
What does a truck driver earn in the Czech Republic?
The official median is 38,166 Kč gross — about €1,576 — with a quartile range of €947 to €2,346. International routes with per diems pay considerably more than domestic work.
Are per diems part of the salary?
Legally no — they are expense allowances, usually untaxed, and they are not counted as wages. In practice they can add several hundred euros a month on international routes, which is why advertised "salaries" for drivers vary so much.
Do I need a European licence?
You need category CE. Licences from many non-EU countries can be exchanged, but the process takes time and some require a practical test. Driver CPC (code 95) is separate and mandatory for professional driving in the EU.
Which is better paid — domestic or international?
International, once per diems are counted. But you are away for two to three weeks at a time. Domestic pays less and gets you home. Both are real choices, not a trick question.
Driving jobs with visa sponsorship
Category CE with two years of international experience is one of the strongest positions to apply from. Tell us your licence and route history.