Study GfK: the Romanians' purchasing power is half of the European average

The Romanians have a purchasing power per capita of 7,453 euro at the level of 2021, 50% lower than the European average, shows the study GfK Purchasing Power for Europe.   Romania is 31st among the 42 countries included in the European top. The average purchasing power per capita in Europe in 2021 is 15,055 euro. Even so, th net average income available for inhabitant for each of the 42 countries included in the study varies significantly: Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Luxembour have the highest net average income available, while Kosovo, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine register the lowest values of the average purchasing power.   Thus, the inhabitants of Liechtenstein have an available average sum of expenses and savings 34 times higher than the inhabitants of Ukraine.   As a whole, the Europeans have approximately 10.2 trillion euro for spending in 2021 for food, housing, services, energy, private pensions, insurance, holidays, mobility and consumption acquisitions. This corresponds to an average purchasing power per capita of 15,055 euro.   Thus, the purchasing power per capita has a nominal growth of 1.9% in 2021. In general, 16 out of the 42 countries interviewed are over the European average. This is in contrast with 26 countries whose purchasing power per capita is under the average - Spain, which at 14,709 euro/capita is slightly under the European average.   Similarly to France and Poland, Romania has a subtantial gap between the rich and the poor. Bucuresti, the capital city is the leader in top 10. This year, the inhabitants of Bucharest have an average purchasing power per capita almost 80% over the national average but still 8% under the European average.   The Bucharest inhabitants have a purchasing power three times higher than the inhabitants of the least rich county, Vaslui where the net available income represents approximately 56% of the national average and little under 28% of the European average.   In 2021 there were some changes in top 10: Sibiu and Brasov go five and six while Alba surpasses Prahova goes nine. All the counties in the top 10 have an average purchasing power per capita significantly over the national average. Constanta, goes 11 with a purchasing power per capital at approximately the same level with the national level, while the other counties have a purchasing power under the average.   The purchasing power represents the available income after taxes and charity contributions deduction and including any state aid received. The study indicates the levels of purchasing power per capita,per year, in euro and as index. The GfK purchasing power relies on the nominal income available for the population, which means that the values are not adjusted to inflation.   The figures are made on the basis of income and gains, statistics regarding the governmental benefits, as well as economic provisions supplied by the economic institutes.   The purchasing power of consumers cover expenses connected to food, transport, utilities, services, energy, private pensions and insurance plans, as well as other expenses, such as holidays, mobility and acquisitions.