Romania's purchasing power per capita 45% below EU average

Romania has reached a purchasing power per capita of EUR 11,105, approximately 45% below the European average – a figure that places the country in 31st place in the European top, according to the "NIQ Purchasing Power Europe 2025" study.

Compared to 2024, Romania moved up one position in the NIQ ranking.

Comparatively, at a regional level, Poland (with the same GDP per capita at PPP) has a purchasing power of EUR 14,156 per capita, ranking 26th in the EU, and the Czech Republic (91% of the EU average GDP per capita at PPP) has EUR 15,928, ranking 23rd.

Regional disparities in Romania are wide, the same report revealed.

According to the analysis, the national average in Romania hides significant regional differences, with variations of over four times between the county with the highest purchasing power and the one with the lowest. Bucharest leads by a long way, while counties like Vaslui are at the opposite pole, highlighting the economic contrast between the regions.

As in previous years, Bucharest clearly ranks first among the regions of Romania. With a purchasing power per capita of EUR 22,676, the capital's residents have more than double the national average available for spending and savings. Compared to Vaslui county, which has the lowest purchasing power, with only EUR 5,379 per capita, this results in a spending potential of approximately 4.2 times higher.

However, compared to previous years, the difference between counties with low and high purchasing power narrows slightly in 2025.

(Photo source: Khwanchai Phanthong/Dreamstime.com)