Romania's Real Income Jumps as Construction Output Accelerates

Romania recorded the fastest rise in real median disposable income among EU countries over the past 15 years, with a 160% increase projected between 2010 and 2025. The median yearly income is expected to reach €8,187 in 2025, up from €2,448 in 2016, yet it remains about 2.8 times lower than the EU average and inflation has accumulated to 65% over the period. Income inequality has eased modestly, with the ratio between the highest and lowest income groups narrowing from 3.2:1 in 2016 to an expected 2.4:1 in 2025, still above the EU norm of 2.2:1.

In the same period, Romania's construction sector showed strong expansion. In April, raw construction production rose 20.7% year‑on‑year, with seasonally adjusted data indicating a 20.3% increase compared with April 2025. Residential building volume grew 8.8% (10.8% adjusted), non‑residential construction rose 17% (12.1% adjusted), and infrastructure projects surged 27.5% (26% adjusted). Overall, construction output for the first four months of the year was about 11% higher than the same period a year earlier.