Denmark’s 2025 household-consumption price level was 139.7% of the EU average. Ireland was 136.2%; Luxembourg 131.5%.
Eurostat source ↗FREE EUROPEAN EXPAT TOOLKIT
Moving countries changes more than your tax rate.
Compare salary, living costs, relocation, residence evidence, pensions and account portability before deciding where the move actually leaves you.
Official-source contextEditable Excel scorecardNo country hype
THE CONTEXT
Three statistics that change the comparison.
These official 2024 figures do not select a “best” country. They show why salary alone cannot answer the question.
The EU average was €39,800. Luxembourg recorded €83,000, Denmark €71,600 and Ireland €61,100.
Eurostat source ↗8.2% of EU residents spent at least 40% of disposable income on housing. Greece recorded 28.9%.
Eurostat source ↗Different datasets and definitions. National averages do not represent a specific city, salary offer or household.
EUROPE-WIDE DATABASE
All 51 countries.
No invented numbers.
Search and compare the latest common periods available across three official Eurostat indicators. Missing values stay visible because data coverage is part of a responsible comparison.
| Country | Price level 2025 · EU=100 | Adjusted salary 2024 · gross annual | Housing overburden 2024 · population % | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlbaniaAL | 72.6 | — | — | 1/3 |
| AndorraAD | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| ArmeniaAM | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| AustriaAT | 113.0 | €58,600 | 6.3% | 3/3 |
| AzerbaijanAZ | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| BelarusBY | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| BelgiumBE | 116.2 | €59,632 | 6.7% | 3/3 |
| Bosnia and HerzegovinaBA | 59.2 | — | — | 1/3 |
| BulgariaBG | 62.5 | €15,387 | 8.0% | 3/3 |
| CroatiaHR | 78.4 | €23,446 | 3.7% | 3/3 |
| CyprusCY | 89.2 | €27,611 | 2.4% | 3/3 |
| CzechiaCZ | 89.4 | €23,998 | 9.2% | 3/3 |
| DenmarkDK | 139.7 | €71,565 | 14.6% | 3/3 |
| EstoniaEE | 101.2 | €26,546 | 8.6% | 3/3 |
| FinlandFI | 120.8 | €49,428 | 5.4% | 3/3 |
| FranceFR | 110.3 | €43,790 | 7.0% | 3/3 |
| GeorgiaGE | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| GermanyDE | 108.3 | €53,791 | 12.0% | 3/3 |
| GreeceGR | 87.4 | €17,954 | 28.9% | 3/3 |
| HungaryHU | 77.5 | €18,461 | 9.0% | 3/3 |
| IcelandIS | 173.5 | — | — | 1/3 |
| IrelandIE | 136.2 | €61,051 | 4.5% | 3/3 |
| ItalyIT | 97.1 | €33,523 | 5.1% | 3/3 |
| KazakhstanKZ | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| KosovoXK | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| LatviaLV | 83.2 | €22,262 | 6.7% | 3/3 |
| LiechtensteinLI | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| LithuaniaLT | 82.8 | €29,104 | 6.2% | 3/3 |
| LuxembourgLU | 131.5 | €82,969 | 8.0% | 3/3 |
| MaltaMT | 91.9 | €33,499 | 5.9% | 3/3 |
| MoldovaMD | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| MonacoMC | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| MontenegroME | 66.1 | — | — | 1/3 |
| NetherlandsNL | 115.6 | — | 6.9% | 2/3 |
| North MacedoniaMK | 54.8 | — | 5.6% | 2/3 |
| NorwayNO | 128.6 | — | 15.4% | 2/3 |
| PolandPL | 73.3 | €21,246 | 5.2% | 3/3 |
| PortugalPT | 86.6 | €24,818 | 6.9% | 3/3 |
| RomaniaRO | 65.1 | €21,108 | 4.7% | 3/3 |
| RussiaRU | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| San MarinoSM | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| SerbiaRS | 68.0 | — | 11.4% | 2/3 |
| SlovakiaSK | 85.2 | €20,287 | 6.4% | 3/3 |
| SloveniaSI | 89.3 | €35,133 | 3.8% | 3/3 |
| SpainES | 91.6 | €33,700 | 7.8% | 3/3 |
| SwedenSE | 121.0 | €46,525 | 10.6% | 3/3 |
| SwitzerlandCH | 171.3 | — | 15.3% | 2/3 |
| TürkiyeTR | 59.6 | — | 14.8% | 2/3 |
| UkraineUA | — | — | — | 0/3 |
| United KingdomGB | 123.3 | — | — | 1/3 |
| Vatican CityVA | — | — | — | 0/3 |
Price level: household final consumption expenditure relative to EU=100. It is not adjusted for income.
Adjusted salary: annual gross full-time adjusted salary; the Netherlands uses a different methodology and is left blank.
Housing overburden: population living in households spending at least 40% of disposable income on housing.
Scope: 51 sovereign states commonly treated as wholly or partly European, including Kosovo separately. “—” means no comparable observation in the selected dataset.
QUICK COMPARISON
Which option leaves more behind?
Enter estimated monthly net income, normal monthly costs and the one-time relocation bill.
MONTHLY INVESTABLE SURPLUS€1,100€13,200 per year€6,600 after move costs in year one
MONTHLY INVESTABLE SURPLUS€1,800€21,600 per year€17,100 after move costs in year one
Illustrative planning tool only. It does not calculate tax, determine residence or value pensions and benefits. Verify every input for the relevant country and household.
BEFORE YOU MOVE
Six questions social-media rankings usually miss.
The cheapest or lowest-tax destination can still produce the weaker outcome when the surrounding system is ignored.
Tax residence
Which domestic rules apply beyond day count, and could two countries initially regard you as resident?
Real housing
What does long-term housing cost after deposits, utilities, furnishing and the required location?
Relocation bill
How much cash disappears before the first normal month, and what would it cost to leave again?
Pension record
Which insurance periods are preserved, who pays each share and what documents must you retain?
Account portability
Can your bank, broker and insurance remain usable after the residency and address change?
Future options
Does the move strengthen savings, protection and flexibility—or only improve one headline number?
FREE DOWNLOAD
European Expat Money Starter Kit
One practical guide and one editable workbook for comparing up to three country or job options with the same method.
- 51-country European statistics database
- Five-number country scorecard
- Relocation and safety-reserve budget
- Tax-residence evidence map
- Bank, broker and pension portability checklist
- Dated primary sources and transparent data gaps
Built for preparation and better questions—not personalised tax conclusions.
PDF GUIDE + EXCEL SCORECARD
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WEEK 14 SERIES
Seven decisions. One complete move.
Follow the complete Expat Money series, ending with Sunday’s two-minute country scorecard.
The salary mirage
Why €8,000 can leave less than €6,500.
The 183-day myth
Why the calendar may not decide residence alone.
The disappearing raise
How a €1,200 raise can become €30.
The moving bill
The cost before normal life begins.
The pension paper trail
Why 25 working years can become three claims.
The portability test
When a 0.5% currency fee becomes €500.
The country scorecard
The five numbers behind the final decision.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Consumer pricesEurostat, 2025 ↗Adjusted salariesEurostat, 2024 ↗Housing pressureEurostat, 2024 ↗Tax residenceOECD portal ↗Cross-border pensionsEuropean Commission ↗
Educational information only—not personal financial, investment, tax, pension or legal advice. Country rules, costs and personal circumstances vary.