Comparison of price levels in Europe, 2012

The Norwegian GDP per capita (price level adjusted) was 95 per cent above the EU average in 2012 (EU=27). Switzerland followed Norway in the comparison, with a GDP per capita of 60 per cent above the EU average. Norway’s GDP level is also quite high compared to the rest of the Nordic countries. Countries in eastern and central Europe in general showed lower levels of GDP per capita compared to the rest of Europe. The dispersion in GDP per capita across Europe was quite wide, ranging from 171 per cent above the EU27 averages in Luxembourg to 72 per cent below the EU-27 average in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Luxembourg heads the list due to the fact that a high proportion of the country's employees live in neighbouring countries and therefore contribute to the GDP, but are not included in the resident population. Thus these workers do not pull down the GDP per capita for Luxembourg.

These preliminary results are based on the latest GDP data for 2012 and the most recent PPPs available. Revised estimates will be published in December 2012.