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Three of the top five cities in which construction workers can expect to receive the highest pay are in the U.S.
According to the Turner & Townsend’s International Construction Market Survey, the top two spots were both in Switzerland, with Geneva offering an average hourly salary of $118 followed by Zurich with $117.
The third, fourth and fifth cities on the list were all in the U.S.: San Francisco offers the third best rate at $116 followed by New York at $114 and Boston with $110.
The report said that, regarding wages, some global regions were seeing “substantial growth compared with pre-pandemic levels” due to “worsening skills shortages in the construction sector.”
North America currently has the highest average labor cost at $68 but has shown little movement from 2021. Construction wages in North America are likely to increase over the next 12 months, due to worsening skills shortages across the country.
Europe had the largest increase in construction wages since 2021, with average labor costs increasing by 22.4% to $65 in 2022. Australia and New Zealand recorded an increase of 6.5% over the last 12 months and the Middle East increased by 6.1% since 2021 to $7.
The report added that, “Asia and Africa both recorded a fall in average construction labor costs from 2021 to 2022. While nearly all markets in Asia recorded an increase over the last 12 months, the addition of several lower-income markets in this year’s survey has brought down the average for the region.
“Africa, on the other hand, has experienced considerable market challenges following the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in lower levels of construction and a surplus of labor.”
Five best paid cities for construction workers
1. Geneva, Switzerland
2. Zurich, Switzerland
3. San Francisco
4. New York
5. Boston
For a look at the most expensive cities to build in, click here.
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