Luxembourg leads while other countries see their prosperity rise or fall

In 2022, actual individual consumption levels (AIC) in the European Union showed significant differences. Used as a measure of household material well-being, the AIC per capita expressed in purchasing power standards (PPS) ranged from 69% to 138% of the EU average across member countries.

Luxembourg had the highest level of PCI per capita in the EU, at 38% above the EU average, followed by Austria and Germany (both 18% above), the Netherlands (16% above) and Belgium (15% above), according to Eurostat. In 2022, nine EU countries had PCI per capita above the EU average.

The lowest levels of AIC per capita were recorded in Bulgaria (31% below the EU average), Hungary (29% below), Croatia and Latvia (both 24% below) and Slovakia (23% below).

In the last three years, the AIC per capita relative to the EU average has changed in most EU countries. Between 2020 and 2022, AIC levels increased in 18 EU countries, notably in Bulgaria (69% of the EU average in 2022 vs. 60% in 2020), Croatia (76% vs. 69%), Romania (86% vs. 81%) and Ireland (94% vs. 89%).

In contrast, levels of AIC decreased in 7 EU countries, with the largest decreases in Denmark (110% in 2022 vs. 121% in 2020), Germany (118% vs. 124%) and Finland (109% vs. 114%).