The Cost of Living in the EU: How Much Do You Need?

5 Pages Posted: 9 Sep 2019

See all articles by Brian Fabo

Brian Fabo

National Bank of Slovakia

Martin Guzi

Masaryk University - Department of Public Economics; Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI); IZA Institute of Labor Economics; Charles University in Prague - CERGE-EI, a joint workplace of Charles University and the Economics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Date Written: June 7, 2019

Abstract

This policy brief details the necessary amounts for dignified living according to official EU figures and the perceptions of Europeans, as well as the actual disposable income of families in the lower part of the income distribution across EU member states.

The research shows that households not being able to fulfil their needs is not just a question of their relative income but in some countries reflects the general low level of wages. There is a need for the Eastern European countries to move away from low wages as the main source of competitiveness.

Keywords: cost of living; low wages; income distribution; EU policy; guaranteed income; EU countries

Suggested Citation

Fabo, Brian and Guzi, Martin, The Cost of Living in the EU: How Much Do You Need? (June 7, 2019). ETUI Research Paper - Policy Brief 4/2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3449930 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3449930

Brian Fabo (Contact Author)

National Bank of Slovakia ( email )

Imricha Karvasa 1
813 25 Bratislava
Slovakia

Martin Guzi

Masaryk University - Department of Public Economics ( email )

Lipova 41a
KVE
Brno, 62400
Czech Republic

HOME PAGE: http://www.muni.cz/en/people/233611-martin-guzi/cv

Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI)

Zvolenská 29
Bratislava, 82109
Slovakia

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://legacy.iza.org/en/webcontent/personnel/photos/index_html?key=5347

Charles University in Prague - CERGE-EI, a joint workplace of Charles University and the Economics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences ( email )

Politickych veznu 7
Prague, 111 21
Czech Republic

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