Romania, last in the EU: 61.4% of Romanians cannot afford a holiday

Romania ranks last in the European Union in terms of the financial ability to afford a holiday. According to 2025 data, 61.4% of Romanians do not have the means to pay for a week away from home.

Romania, the only country in dark red on the EU map

The map produced by the European Economic and Social Committee reveals a critical situation for Romania, the only member state marked in dark red for this indicator. The next-lowest ranked country, Greece, records a significantly smaller figure of 46.6%.

The European Union average stands at 27.5%, meaning Romania's rate is more than twice the EU average.

Other countries in Eastern and Southern Europe also posting high figures

Alongside Romania and Greece, the countries with the highest proportions of people unable to afford a holiday include:

• Hungary and Bulgaria – 39.1% each
• Italy – 35.7%
• Portugal – 33.1%
• Croatia – 32.6%
• Spain – 32.2%

Germany and France sit below the European average, at 20.9% and 23.2% respectively.

The best performers: Northern and Western Europe

At the other end of the scale are countries in Western and Northern Europe, where the proportion of people unable to afford a holiday is considerably lower. Luxembourg has the best situation, with just 10.6%.

Other countries with favourable results include:

• Sweden – 12.4%
• Netherlands – 12.8%
• Denmark – 14.1%
• Finland – 14.8%
• Slovenia – 15.2%

The 2025 data show that access to leisure time and recreation remains a meaningful indicator of income disparities between European states.