The standard of living in the European Union countries varies significantly, despite the common market and uniform rules. The cost of goods, utilities, transport, and services can differ by tens of percent, which directly influences household expenses and the choice of a country for relocation or long-term residence. This is noted by Visit Ukraine.
According to Eurostat, the overall price index for final consumer expenditure of households within the EU varies significantly. If the average level in the Union is taken as 100, the difference between the most expensive and the most affordable countries reaches almost 80 percentage points.
Overall price level in the EU: where to live cheapest
The most expensive country in the European Union remains Denmark, where prices are on average 41% higher than the overall European level. Meanwhile, the lowest figure was recorded in Bulgaria – 39% cheaper than the average level in the EU.
The group of the most affordable countries also includes:
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Romania
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Hungary
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Poland
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Slovakia
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Croatia
In these countries, lower prices are observed in several key categories of expenses.
Prices for goods and services in the EU: where to pay less
The greatest contrasts are noted in the cost of food, energy resources, and services. In particular:
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the most expensive food and non-alcoholic beverages are sold in Luxembourg;
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alcohol and tobacco – in Ireland;
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clothing and footwear – in Denmark.
Romania and Bulgaria turned out to be the most affordable for food, with the latter also having the lowest prices for alcohol, tobacco, clothing, and footwear.
Utility costs also vary:
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the highest prices for electricity and fuel are recorded in Germany;
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the lowest – in Hungary.
Furniture is cheapest in Bulgaria, home appliances – in Slovakia, and information and communication equipment – in Italy.
The service sector demonstrates an even larger gap:
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Denmark is the leader in transport, restaurants, and hotels costs;
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Belgium – in communication prices;
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the cheapest transport services and eateries – in Bulgaria;
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personal transport – in Slovakia;
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communication – in Romania.
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