Bulgaria ranks first in Europe when it comes to how much of a 100,000-euro annual salary employees actually keep after taxes and social security deductions, according to a comparative analysis covering 31 European countries.
The study examined net income levels across all EU member states, along with the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, and Turkey. It focused on a person earning 100,000 euros annually, without children or additional income.
In Bulgaria, that salary leaves a net annual income of 86,930 euros, the highest figure recorded in the survey and the only result in Europe above the 85,000-euro threshold. The country’s position is largely attributed to its flat income tax system and comparatively low social security contributions, which keep deductions limited even for higher earners.
Unlike much of Western Europe, where income taxes rise steeply for people in higher salary brackets, Bulgaria maintains one of the continent’s most favorable systems for high-income employees. The report notes that in many developed European economies, progressive taxation and heavier social contributions significantly reduce take-home pay.
Estonia follows Bulgaria in the ranking, with employees keeping around 74,400 euros from the same gross income. The Czech Republic and Malta also place among the countries where workers retain more than 72,000 euros net annually.
The contrast with larger Western European economies is substantial. In Germany, a person earning 100,000 euros gross would keep approximately 57,900 euros after deductions, while in France the amount falls to around 63,000 euros. Italy posts an even lower figure of about 56,700 euros.
Belgium records the heaviest burden among the countries surveyed. There, employees are left with just 50,750 euros net from a gross annual salary of 100,000 euros. Denmark and Sweden are also listed among the countries imposing the highest tax pressure on top earners.
According to the analysis by Euronews Business, Eastern European states generally allow employees to retain a larger share of their earnings because of lower income taxes, reduced social contribution rates, and the more limited use of strongly progressive tax systems.
The pattern differs sharply in Western and Northern Europe, where higher wages are often subject to substantially higher tax brackets and larger deductions designed to finance broader social welfare systems.
The calculations in the report are based on data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, national statistical institutions, and PwC tax analyses for 2025. (Novinite)