How Far Are We from the EU’s Lowest Benchmark?

According to the latest International Monetary Fund report, Bulgaria still holds the lowest GDP per capita in the European Union, standing at $18,522 in 2025. This figure serves as a sharp benchmark against which the economic dynamics of other European and associated countries are measured. Romania follows with $21,421, Latvia ranks third with $24,374, and Hungary sits slightly higher at $24,808. At the other extreme is Luxembourg, with over $140,000 per capita — a stark reminder of the economic gradient within the EU, where the richest member’s figure is almost eight times higher than that of the poorest.

In this same dataset, Georgia’s position is, to put it mildly, far from enviable. The country’s GDP per capita in 2025 is $9,141 — exactly half that of Bulgaria, the EU’s lowest. This gap is not merely numerical: Georgia’s economic reality, average income levels, and quality of life remain clearly behind European references. Achieving our stated goal of economic and social integration with Europe will only be possible if the pace of growth accelerates significantly.

For Georgia to reach Bulgaria’s current level, it would need to sustain an average annual growth rate of at least 5.4%. Even then, according to IMF estimates, it would take 14 years to catch up to the EU’s lowest-income member. And that timeline looks optimistic — it assumes Bulgaria’s economy stagnates while Georgia maintains its growth momentum, both of which are highly uncertain in the face of global economic shifts.

While these figures can serve as a target for economic policy, they also make clear just how long and difficult the path toward EU socio-economic standards will be. For Georgia’s government, business sector, and society as a whole, the challenge lies not only in boosting numbers but in finding a development model that delivers sustainable job creation, productivity growth, and quality-of-life improvements.

Ultimately, the macroeconomic context shows that without rapid reforms, stronger investment inflows, and a sharper focus on education, Georgia’s chances of bridging a twofold economic gap with the EU’s poorest member remain slim. True sustainable development will only be possible when growth is not offset by inflation, labor shortages, or education gaps, but instead translates into tangible improvements in the daily lives of every citizen. This is the challenge the country must prioritize over the next decade.