Preliminary data from Eurostat show that the European Union’s average GDP per capita, measured in purchasing power standards (PPS), reached 41,600 euros in 2025. This indicator, which adjusts for differences in price levels between countries through a standardized unit, allows for more accurate comparisons of economic performance and living standards across the EU.

The EU has recorded steady growth in this measure for five consecutive years, with GDP per capita rising from 30,400 euros in 2020 to 41,600 euros in 2025, marking an increase of 36.8 percent. Over the same period, Bulgaria registered significantly faster growth, with its GDP per capita in PPS terms climbing from 17,500 euros to 28,300 euros, an increase of 61.7 percent, or more than 10,000 euros.

Despite this notable progress, Bulgaria continues to rank last in the EU by this indicator. Other countries at the lower end include Greece with 28,500 euros, Latvia with 29,500 euros, Slovakia with 31,100 euros and Hungary with 31,600 euros per capita.

At the top of the ranking are Luxembourg and Ireland, with 99,300 and 98,800 euros respectively, followed by the Netherlands at 55,600 euros, Denmark at 52,800 euros and Austria at 48,900 euros. In total, only 10 of the 27 member states exceed the EU average, accounting for roughly one-third of the bloc’s population. This group also includes Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Malta and Finland.

In the majority of EU countries, GDP per capita remains relatively close to the average. France, Cyprus, Italy, the Czech Republic, Spain and Slovenia fall within 10 percent of the EU level, while Lithuania, Portugal and Poland are positioned between 10 and 20 percent below it.