Romania Tops Europe at 41.5% Wage Deductions as Cyprus Bottoms at 15.1%
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jun 29
Romania Tops Europe at 41.5% Wage Deductions as Cyprus Bottoms at 15.1%
2 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jun 29
Summary
Eurostat’s 2025 data show a single childless worker on an average wage loses 15.1% to 41.5% of gross pay across Europe, with the EU average at 29.1%.
€11,029 of the EU’s average €37,958 gross annual pay goes to taxes and compulsory deductions, leaving net earnings of €26,929.
Romania, Lithuania and Belgium rank among the heaviest burdens, while Cyprus and Greece are lowest; among the four biggest EU economies, Germany is highest at 34.8% and Spain lowest at 22.1%.
Children sharply reduce the burden in many countries: for one-earner couples with two children, the EU average drops to 8.0%, Greece falls to -3.3%, and Germany’s take-home pay rises by €16,424 versus a single worker.
The data underline that labour-tax burdens reflect the mix of income tax, social contributions and family benefits—not geography alone.