Actual individual consumption per capita in the EU - 2024

News articles 18 June 2025

Large variations in household material welfare in 2024

In 2024, actual individual consumption (AIC) per capita expressed in purchasing power standard (PPS) varied from 72% to 141% of the EU average across the 27 EU countries.

This information comes from recently published data on purchasing power parities (PPPs). This article presents some of the findings from the more detailed account in the Statistics Explained article on consumption and GDP per capita.

Source dataset: prc_ppp_ind

In 2024, 9 EU countries recorded an AIC per capita above the EU average. The highest levels were recorded in Luxembourg (41% above the EU average), the Netherlands (20%) and Germany (18%). 
Meanwhile, 18 EU countries recorded an AIC per capita below the EU average, with the lowest levels recorded in Hungary (28% below the EU average), Bulgaria and Estonia (26%).

Greater differences in GDP per capita than in actual individual consumption

Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, a measure of economic activity, also showed substantial differences across the EU members. 10 EU countries recorded GDP per capita above the EU average. The highest GDP per capita was recorded in Luxembourg (242% of the EU average), Ireland (211%) and the Netherlands (136%). At the other end of the range, the lowest GDP per capita was recorded in Bulgaria (66% of the EU average), Greece (70%) and Latvia (71%).

Source dataset: prc_ppp_ind

For more information

• Statistics Explained article on consumption and GDP per capita;
• Thematic section on purchasing power parities;
• Database on purchasing power parities;
• Metadata on purchasing power parities;
• Statistics 4 beginners on GDP.

Methodological notes

AIC includes all goods and services that households use, irrespective of whether they were purchased and paid for by households directly, by government, or by nonprofit organizations.

The estimates presented in this news article are based on GDP and main expenditure components and population data, extracted from nama_10_gdp and nama_10_pe on 10 June 2025, and on the most recent purchasing power parities available.

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