The disposable net income of the European population is growing noticeably in 2026. According to the latest study 'NIQ Purchasing Power Europe 2026', the total purchasing power volume across the 42 surveyed nations amounts to roughly 14.5 trillion euros. In mathematical terms, this results in an average per capita purchasing power of 21,153 euros. This represents a nominal increase of 4.4 per cent compared to the revised figure from the previous year. However, the budgets available to citizens for housing, services, energy, consumer spending and wealth accumulation continue to exhibit a wide divergence at the continental level.
Liechtenstein once again tops the country rankings with a per capita purchasing power of 78,520 euros, which equates to 3.7 times the European average. Switzerland follows in second place with 54,730 euros, alongside Iceland with 44,692 euros per inhabitant. The most notable shift within the leading group was recorded by Norway, which moved up five places to claim fifth position with 35,947 euros. Iceland and Luxembourg swapped third and fourth spots. Germany held on to ninth position unchanged, with a per capita purchasing power of 31,193 euros.
Growth dynamics and structural West-East divide
Of the 42 countries examined, only 17 display an above-average purchasing power level, while 25 nations remain below the European mean. Positioned at the bottom of the table are the Republic of Moldova, Kosovo and Ukraine, where the per capita budget of 3,456 euros accounts for only around 16 per cent of the European average. Concurrently, selected markets in Central and South-Eastern Europe are recording visible gains: the Czech Republic improves to 21st place with 17,785 euros per inhabitant, while Hungary gains three places to reach 27th position with 15,105 euros.
Carsten Buchart, geomarketing expert at NIQ, highlights that many markets in Central and South-Eastern Europe are currently developing with greater dynamism than large parts of Western Europe. Nevertheless, established Western European economies remain the continent's pivotal core markets owing to their economic output and absolute market size. Europe is therefore growing closer together economically, but remains defined by heterogeneous market potentials.
Significance of metropolitan regions and capital city effects
In numerous countries, income is disproportionately concentrated in metropolitan areas. In Bucharest, purchasing power stands at 22,941 euros per inhabitant, more than double the Romanian national average of 11,283 euros. Paris also exceeds the French national average by around 80 per cent, reaching 46,366 euros. Similar tendencies are evident in Bratislava, Sofia, Prague, Budapest and Lisbon, where levels are in each case at least a quarter higher than the respective national figures. There are, however, exceptions: in Berlin, per capita purchasing power of 30,178 euros is more than 1,000 euros below the federal average, and Brussels also trails the overall Belgian level by roughly ten per cent.
When considering aggregate market potential, large conurbations lead the ranking. The Île-de-France region unites a total purchasing power volume of around 396 billion euros, followed by Italy's Lombardy with 272 billion euros. Despite a below-average per capita purchasing power of 14,411 euros, the Istanbul metropolitan region achieves an overall volume of 227 billion euros due to its population density.
- —Average European purchasing power: 21,153 euros per inhabitant (+4.4 per cent nominal)
- —Top performers: Liechtenstein (78,520 euros), Switzerland (54,730 euros) and Iceland (44,692 euros)
- —Germany: 9th place across Europe with 31,193 euros per inhabitant
- —Economically strongest conurbations: Île-de-France (396 billion euros) and Lombardy (272 billion euros)
