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¬79,133 β a difference of β¬4,434 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΄ Romania Employee |
π§π¬ Bulgaria Employee (10% flat) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| β¬50,000 | β¬29,250 41.5% wedge |
β¬41,741 16.5% wedge |
β¬12,491 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬100,000 | β¬58,500 41.5% wedge |
β¬86,741 13.3% wedge |
β¬28,241 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬200,000 | β¬117,000 41.5% wedge |
β¬176,741 11.6% wedge |
β¬59,741 Bulgaria keeps more |
| Gross | π·π΄ Romania PFA β sole trader (sistem real) |
π§π¬ Bulgaria Self-employed (ΡΠ²ΠΎΠ±ΠΎΠ΄Π½Π° ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΡ) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| β¬50,000 | β¬36,341 27.3% wedge |
β¬39,674 20.7% wedge |
β¬3,333 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬100,000 | β¬80,850 19.1% wedge |
β¬85,924 14.1% wedge |
β¬5,074 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬200,000 | β¬170,850 14.6% wedge |
β¬178,424 10.8% wedge |
β¬7,574 Bulgaria keeps more |
| Gross | π·π΄ Romania Micro-SRL (1% turnover) + 16% dividend |
π§π¬ Bulgaria EOOD dividends (10% corp + 5% dividend) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| β¬50,000 | β¬37,553 24.9% wedge |
β¬40,816 18.4% wedge |
β¬3,264 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬100,000 | β¬79,133 20.9% wedge |
β¬83,566 16.4% wedge |
β¬4,434 Bulgaria keeps more |
| β¬200,000 | β¬139,272 30.4% wedge |
β¬169,066 15.5% wedge |
β¬29,795 Bulgaria keeps more |
Keeping more only matters if it buys more. Against the EU average, prices are 41.1% lower in Romania and 40.0% lower in Bulgaria. So that β¬100,000 founder income is really worth β¬134,351 in Romania and β¬139,277 in Bulgaria 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