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Best EU country to work and earn
The EU-27 ranked for professionals who want the highest real take-home buying power from a local salary, computed from real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living data. Luxembourg ranks first.
What is the best EU country to work and earn in the EU?
As of 2024, Luxembourg ranks first for work and earn on Gera's analysis of real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living data, ahead of Austria. Luxembourg pairs €52,029 net annual earnings with a Gera EU Cost Index of 119 and a Gera EU Value Index of 177.1. The ranking weights value, real pay and affordability for professionals who want the highest real take-home buying power from a local salary.
Full EU ranking — best eu country to work and earn
| Rank | Country | Score | Net annual pay | Cost of living (EU=100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxembourg | 78.4 | €52,029 | 119 |
| 2 | Austria | 62.1 | €35,824 | 117.8 |
| 3 | Ireland | 58.7 | €42,366 | 141.7 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 58.1 | €34,223 | 120.1 |
| 5 | Malta | 57.9 | €23,958 | 79.5 |
| 6 | Belgium | 57.3 | €33,481 | 117.5 |
| 7 | Sweden | 55.6 | €33,213 | 126.6 |
| 8 | Denmark | 55.5 | €40,184 | 136.9 |
| 9 | Spain | 55.5 | €24,541 | 94.8 |
| 10 | Finland | 55.4 | €32,957 | 113.2 |
| 11 | France | 54.6 | €30,124 | 113.1 |
| 12 | Germany | 53.9 | €30,145 | 121.2 |
| 13 | Cyprus | 51 | €22,844 | 97.5 |
| 14 | Slovenia | 51 | €21,320 | 87.8 |
| 15 | Italy | 49.2 | €23,959 | 109.5 |
| 16 | Croatia | 47.8 | €15,831 | 70.1 |
| 17 | Lithuania | 47.7 | €17,425 | 78.3 |
| 18 | Portugal | 45.2 | €18,835 | 96.9 |
| 19 | Poland | 44.9 | €15,044 | 80.7 |
| 20 | Estonia | 43.8 | €19,703 | 93.8 |
| 21 | Czechia | 43 | €18,140 | 98.8 |
| 22 | Romania | 42.3 | €12,318 | 75 |
| 23 | Latvia | 41.9 | €15,450 | 85.4 |
| 24 | Hungary | 41.7 | €12,002 | 59.7 |
| 25 | Slovakia | 41.5 | €14,981 | 78 |
| 26 | Greece | 36.7 | €13,746 | 88.5 |
| 27 | Bulgaria | 34.1 | €11,881 | 58.7 |
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| Metric | Luxembourg | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Your salary, locally | €35,000 | €35,000 |
| Salary value vs EU norm | 119.1 | 120.4 |
| Local cost of living (EU=100) | 119 | 117.8 |
| Typical local net pay | €52,029 | €35,824 |
| Gera EU Value Index | 177.1 (#1) | 123.2 (#2) |
On €35,000 a year, your salary stretches further in Austria — a value index of 120.4 against the EU norm of 100, because its cost of living is 117.8 (EU=100). The same salary indexes 119.1 in Luxembourg and 120.4 in Austria. The Gera EU Value Index median is 94.9.
Best EU country to work and earn — FAQ
- Best EU country to work and earn in the EU?
- Luxembourg ranks first for professionals who want the highest real take-home buying power from a local salary, on Gera's weighting of real Eurostat earnings and cost-of-living data (2024). It is followed by Austria and Ireland. Luxembourg has net annual pay of €52,029 and a cost-of-living index of 119 (EU=100).
- How is this ranking decided?
- The ranking weights three sub-scores derived from real Eurostat figures — salary-to-cost value, purchasing-power-adjusted pay, and affordability — at 0.25/0.6/0.15 for professionals who want the highest real take-home buying power from a local salary. The full method and weights are published on the methodology page.
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Other EU rankings
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)).