Every rate below is sourced and dated. Figures are annual, in EUR, for a single person with one income.
On β¬100,000 a year as a founder taking dividends, Bulgaria leaves you with β¬83,566 against β¬78,000 β a difference of β¬5,566 a year.
The income at which the answer changes, derived from the same rules as the tables below. Ranges stop where a regime stops being available, so nothing is claimed beyond it.
| Gross | π§π¬ Bulgaria Employee (10% flat) |
πͺπͺ Estonia Employee (22% flat) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| β¬50,000 | β¬41,741 16.5% wedge |
β¬39,444 21.1% wedge |
β¬2,297 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬100,000 | β¬86,741 13.3% wedge |
β¬77,040 23.0% wedge |
β¬9,701 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬200,000 | β¬176,741 11.6% wedge |
β¬152,232 23.9% wedge |
β¬24,509 Bulgaria keeps more |
| Gross | π§π¬ Bulgaria Self-employed (ΡΠ²ΠΎΠ±ΠΎΠ΄Π½Π° ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΡ) |
πͺπͺ Estonia Sole trader (FIE) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| β¬50,000 | β¬39,674 20.7% wedge |
β¬30,585 38.8% wedge |
β¬9,090 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬100,000 | β¬85,924 14.1% wedge |
β¬59,322 40.7% wedge |
β¬26,603 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬200,000 | β¬178,424 10.8% wedge |
β¬127,348 36.3% wedge |
β¬51,076 Bulgaria keeps more |
| Gross | π§π¬ Bulgaria EOOD dividends (10% corp + 5% dividend) |
πͺπͺ Estonia OΓ dividends (0% retained Β· 22/78 distributed) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| β¬50,000 | β¬40,816 18.4% wedge |
β¬39,000 22.0% wedge |
β¬1,816 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬100,000 | β¬83,566 16.4% wedge |
β¬78,000 22.0% wedge |
β¬5,566 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬200,000 | β¬169,066 15.5% wedge |
β¬156,000 22.0% wedge |
β¬13,066 Bulgaria keeps more |
Keeping more only matters if it buys more. Against the EU average, prices are 40.0% lower in Bulgaria and 2.2% lower in Estonia. So that β¬100,000 founder income is really worth β¬139,277 in Bulgaria and β¬79,755 in Estonia at EU-average prices β Bulgaria comes out ahead once prices are counted.
Price levels: Eurostat β purchasing power parities, COICOP 2018 (prc_ppp_ind_1), Actual individual consumption (COICOP A01), 2025. Source