Enrique Tomás Says Earning Under €1,500 in Barcelona Causes Hardship
Having a job in Barcelona no longer guarantees enough money to reach the end of the month as housing costs absorb a large portion of wages, abc.es reported on November 9, 2026.
The situation drew criticism from Catalan businessman Enrique Tomás during an interview on the podcast Conversaciones en las Alturas.
«What cannot be happen is that people are working and are poor, it is impossible», Tomás asserted, according to abc.es.
The founder of the Enrique Tomás ham shop chain argued that earning less than 1,500 euros net in cities like Barcelona or Madrid leads to severe economic hardship. Companies must ensure wages cover basic living expenses, the Badalona businessman maintained.
Tomás pointed to a specific mathematical reality for households in major urban centers. A couple earning a combined 3,000 euros monthly while spending 1,000 euros on rent leaves only 2,000 euros for food, utilities, and transport, abc.es detailed.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Tomás implemented a minimum net monthly salary of 1,500 euros within his own company, abc.es reported. That decision brought criticism from fellow business owners, though he defended the move as a matter of survival.
Beyond baseline compensation, Tomás raised concerns over internal workplace conditions at large corporations. He stated that middle managers can generate abusive situations that owners do not always manage to control.
One user on X questioned the actual pay rates across his retail kiosks, arguing that outdoor kiosk workers face severe weather conditions for wages comparable to fast-food chains, while another commenter blamed socialist policies for the broader economic strain.