Romania next to its neighbours

The four EU economies closest to Romania in history and income, measured the same way. Each row compares all five at the newest period every one of them has published.

The live view

PEER_05

Scorecard

Each country at the newest period all five have published, and Romania's place among the five.

IndicatorROPLHUCZBGRomania's place
GDP growthSource: EUROSTAT · Q2 2026 · higher is better−1.9%4.0%1.7%1.8%2.8%5 of 5
Inflation (HICP)Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026 · lower is better6.5%4.0%2.1%2.2%5.6%5 of 5
UnemploymentSource: EUROSTAT · September 2026 · lower is better6.3%3.4%4.6%2.8%3.4%5 of 5
Productivity (GDP per hour worked)Source: EUROSTAT · 2025 · higher is better76.1%68.4%70.6%79.5%59.2%2 of 5
Budget balanceSource: EUROSTAT · 2025 · higher is better−7.8%−7.2%−4.7%−2.2%−4.0%5 of 5
Public debtSource: EUROSTAT · Q2 2026 · lower is better59.4%64.5%75.6%43.8%28.7%3 of 5
10-year bond yieldSource: EUROSTAT · September 2026 · lower is better6.71%6.23%5.69%5.24%4.09%5 of 5
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Where Romania stands

GDP growth

% · real GDP against the same quarter a year earlier, seasonally adjusted
  1. Poland4.0%
  2. Bulgaria2.8%
  3. Czechia1.8%
  4. Hungary1.7%
  5. Romania−1.9%
Source: EUROSTAT · Q2 2026

Inflation (HICP)

% · harmonised consumer prices, year on year
  1. Hungary2.1%
  2. Czechia2.2%
  3. Poland4.0%
  4. Bulgaria5.6%
  5. Romania6.5%
Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026

Unemployment

% of the labour force, seasonally adjusted
  1. Czechia2.8%
  2. Poland3.4%
  3. Bulgaria3.4%
  4. Hungary4.6%
  5. Romania6.3%
Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026

Productivity (GDP per hour worked)

% of the EU average · GDP per hour worked, at purchasing power parity · annual
  1. Czechia79.5%
  2. Romania76.1%
  3. Hungary70.6%
  4. Poland68.4%
  5. Bulgaria59.2%
Source: EUROSTAT · 2025

Budget balance

% of GDP · ESA, annual, negative is a deficit · dashed line: the EU's 3% limit
  1. Czechia−2.2%
  2. Bulgaria−4.0%
  3. Hungary−4.7%
  4. Poland−7.2%
  5. Romania−7.8%
Source: EUROSTAT · 2025

Public debt

% of GDP · end of quarter · dashed line: the EU's 60% limit
  1. Bulgaria28.7%
  2. Czechia43.8%
  3. Romania59.4%
  4. Poland64.5%
  5. Hungary75.6%
Source: EUROSTAT · Q2 2026

10-year bond yield

% · government bonds, monthly average — the EU convergence measure
  1. Bulgaria4.09%
  2. Czechia5.24%
  3. Hungary5.69%
  4. Poland6.23%
  5. Romania6.71%
Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026
TIME_03

How it got here

GDP growth

% · real GDP against the same quarter a year earlier, seasonally adjusted
RomaniaPolandHungaryCzechiaBulgaria
Source: EUROSTAT · Q2 2026

Inflation (HICP)

% · harmonised consumer prices, year on year
RomaniaPolandHungaryCzechiaBulgaria
Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026

Unemployment

% of the labour force, seasonally adjusted
RomaniaPolandHungaryCzechiaBulgaria
Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026

10-year bond yield

% · government bonds, monthly average — the EU convergence measure
RomaniaPolandHungaryCzechiaBulgaria
Source: EUROSTAT · September 2026

Productivity (GDP per hour worked)

% of the EU average · GDP per hour worked, at purchasing power parity · annual
RomaniaPolandHungaryCzechiaBulgaria
Source: EUROSTAT · 2025

What changed

25 Sept 2026ListingannouncedInterCapital ETF

InterCapital to list a Polish equity ETF on the Bucharest Stock Exchange on 12 October

The InterCapital Poland WIG30TR UCITS ETF tracks Warsaw's 30 largest companies and held about €12 million on 31 August. The listing is subject to final BVB approval and would be the provider's fifth ETF on the exchange.

Background

Why these four. Poland, Hungary, Czechia and Bulgaria are the EU members closest to Romania in recent history and in how far their incomes still have to catch up with western Europe. Poland, Hungary and Czechia keep their own currencies and central banks, as Romania does; Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, so its interest rates now follow the ECB’s.

The same measure for everyone. Every figure on this page comes from Eurostat, which collects them under common definitions. Inflation here is HICP, not the national CPI on the Macro page; the two weigh goods and services differently. The budget balance and debt are on the European ESA basis; a negative balance is a deficit.

The same period for everyone. Countries publish on different days. Each comparison uses the newest period all five have published, so no country is judged on fresher figures than another — some may already have a newer one out.

Better and worse. Faster growth, a smaller deficit and lower unemployment, debt and borrowing costs count as better. So does lower inflation, while it stays above the 2–3% the region’s central banks aim for.

Latest comparisons

10 NOVROVeste neașteptată pentru românii care visează la o casă! Eurostat: raportul dintre prețul locuinței și venit a scăzut cu aproape jumătate în ultimii 10 aniŞtiri de Cluj10 NOVROLocuințele s-au scumpit mai repede decât veniturile în UE. România, cea mai mare scădere a raportului prețuri-salariiRomania Libera10 NOVROCât ar pierde țările UE într-o singură zi de grevă generală. Germania ajunge la 2,5…Mediafax10 NOVROSurpriză pe piața imobiliară din România: Locuințele au devenit mai accesibile în raport cu veniturile, potrivit datelor EurostatJurnalul de Arges09 NOVROLocuințele s-au scumpit mai repede decât veniturile în 17 state UE. Care este situația în RomâniaStirile ProTV09 NOVROEurostat: România, țara în care locuințele au devenit mai accesibile în ultimul deceniuTion09 NOVROEurostat: raportul dintre prețurile locuințelor și venituri a scăzut cu 42,8% în România în 2015–2025Informat.ro09 NOVROEurostat: România, cea mai mare scădere din UE a raportului dintre preţul locuinţelor şi venituri în ultimul deceniuZiarul Bursa09 NOVROEurostat: Raportul dintre prețul locuinței și venit s-a redus la aproape jumătate în ultimul deceniu în RomâniaAgerpres09 NOVROAnaliză Eurostat despre piața imobiliară românească. Locuințele au devenit mai accesibile, în raport cu veniturileB1TV09 NOVRORomânia, una dintre țările UE în care locuințele au devenit mai accesibile în raport cu veniturile (Eurostat)Economedia09 NOVROSalt spectaculos pentru România. Sectorul serviciilor publice a crescut cel mai mult din UEOra de Sibiu