GeraHome / EU Value Index / Bulgaria vs Italy
Bulgaria vs Italy: salary & cost of living
Which offers better value? A real Eurostat comparison of take-home pay and cost of living, with each country’s Gera EU Value Index.
Bulgaria vs Italy: which is better value to live in?
As of 2024, Italy offers better salary-to-cost value than Bulgaria on the Gera EU Value Index (88.6 vs 82, a 6.6-point gap, EU≈100). Bulgaria pays €11,881 net a year versus €23,959 in Italy; cost-of-living indices are 58.7 and 109.5. Figures from Eurostat (earnings & price levels).
Bulgaria vs Italy — head to head
| Metric | Bulgaria | Italy |
|---|---|---|
| Net annual take-home pay | €11,881 (лв23,237 BGN) | €23,959 |
| PPS earnings index (EU=100) | 42.4 | 102.4 |
| Cost of living (EU=100) | 58.7 | 109.5 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 82 | 88.6 |
| EU value rank (of 27) | #19 | #17 |
Compare your salary in Bulgaria and Italy
Index your take-home pay against the EU norm in both
How far does your salary go in the EU?
Enter a net (take-home) salary and pick two EU countries. We index it against the EU norm using the same real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living figures behind the Gera EU Value Index.
| Metric | Bulgaria | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Your salary, locally | €35,000 (лв68,454 BGN) | €35,000 |
| Salary value vs EU norm | 241.5 | 120.4 |
| Local cost of living (EU=100) | 58.7 | 117.8 |
| Typical local net pay | €11,881 | €35,824 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 82 (#19) | 123.2 (#2) |
On €35,000 a year, your salary stretches further in Bulgaria — a value index of 241.5 against the EU norm of 100, because its cost of living is 58.7 (EU=100). The same salary indexes 241.5 in Bulgaria and 120.4 in Austria. The Gera EU Value Index median is 94.9.
Bulgaria vs Italy — FAQ
- Is Bulgaria or Italy better value to live in?
- Italy offers better salary-to-cost value on the Gera EU Value Index (88.6 vs 82, EU≈100, 2024). Bulgaria pays €11,881 net a year and Italy €23,959; their cost-of-living indices are 58.7 and 109.5. Figures from Eurostat.
- Where is the salary higher — Bulgaria or Italy?
- Italy has the higher net annual take-home pay at €23,959 versus €11,881 in Bulgaria, for a single person at 100% of the average wage (Eurostat earn_nt_net, 2024). A higher salary does not always mean better value once cost of living is taken into account.
- Where is the cost of living lower — Bulgaria or Italy?
- Bulgaria has the lower cost of living, with a Gera EU Cost Index of 58.7 versus 109.5 (EU average ≈ 100), built from Eurostat price levels and household energy prices.
Moving to a new country in Europe?
From installs and repairs to a full home setup, GeraHome connects you to vetted local tradespeople. Get free quotes in minutes.
Full reports
Contains public sector information published by Eurostat (European Commission) and licensed under the Eurostat reuse policy (© European Union — free reuse with attribution). Source: Eurostat — Net annual earnings (earn_nt_net), single person at 100% of average wage (2024 (earnings) · 2024 price levels / 2025-S2 energy (cost of living), published 2025 (Eurostat earnings release)).