According to projections cited from the International Monetary Fund, Bulgaria is expected to overtake Greece in GDP per capita by 2030, while also widening its economic lead over the Western Balkan countries. The forecasts are based on purchasing power parity, which reflects real income and living standards rather than nominal values.
The data suggest that Bulgaria will gradually improve its position among European economies, reaching 30th place out of 41 countries included in the comparison. Greece is expected to fall to 32nd place, marking one of the sharper declines in the group examined. At the same time, countries in the Western Balkans, including Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, are projected to remain significantly lower in the ranking, between 34th and 38th place.
Bulgaria’s GDP per capita in purchasing power terms is estimated at 42,816 euros in 2025. Serbia, by comparison, stands at 32,724 euros, a gap of roughly 10,000 euros. The difference is expected to persist into 2030, when Bulgaria is forecast to reach 56,360 euros, while Serbia is projected at 44,458 euros.
The report indicates that while the overall movement in European income levels will be relatively gradual, the divergence between regions will remain clear. Bulgaria’s improvement is described as steady, whereas Greece is expected to register the most significant downward shift among the countries covered.
Despite this progress, Bulgaria will still remain among the lower-income EU member states in nominal terms, with projected GDP per capita around 28,000 euros. The gap with Europe’s richest economies will remain substantial, with Luxembourg expected to exceed 150,000 euros per person.
Within the broader European picture, Northern and Western countries are set to maintain their dominance in income levels. Ireland is projected to lead the ranking by 2030, overtaking Luxembourg, followed by Norway, Switzerland and Denmark. Germany remains the strongest performer among the largest EU economies, while Spain is positioned at the lower end of that group.
Source: https://m.novinite.com/
