Denmark reported the highest household consumption expenditure in the European Union in 2025, with prices at 140% of the EU average, new data from Eurostat has revealed.
According to Eurostat, other European countries to report above average price levels for household consumption included Ireland (136%) and Luxembourg (132%).
At the other end of the scale, the lowest levels were observed in Bulgaria (63%), Romania (65%) and Poland (73%), Eurostat noted.
The data compared household final consumption expenditure across EU member states and determined notable differences in the cost of living across the European Union. The figures measure relative price levels and are not adjusted for differences in wages or household incomes.
Housing costs
Housing costs, which account for the largest share of household spending across the EU, showed some of the widest variations. Ireland recorded the highest housing prices at 190% of the EU average, while Bulgaria reported the lowest at 41%.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages, the second-largest category of household expenditure, displayed the smallest variation between countries. Luxembourg recorded the highest prices in this category, at 122% of the EU average, while Romania had the lowest at 80%.
Education disparity
Elsewhere, education showed the greatest disparity of any expenditure category. Luxembourg recorded education prices at 334% of the EU average, while Romania stood at 42%.
Although education represents the smallest share of household expenditure at EU level, Eurostat’s figures illustrate substantial differences in how education services are priced across member states.
The data forms part of Eurostat’s purchasing power parity and comparative price level analysis, which examines the cost of goods and services across Europe. Read more here.
