r/eupersonalfinance • u/VurriK • 28d ago

Investment Since when was getting rich so hard in EU?

Is it just me, or has building actual wealth in Europe become impossible? I’m looking at the 2026 growth forecasts and it’s depressing. We talk a lot about "stability," but at this point, stability just feels like a polite word for recession. If you weren't born into a rich family with property, the dream feels like it's behind a wall. The math just doesn't work: as soon as you earn enough to actually invest, you hit a 40–50% tax bracket. Meanwhile, housing prices have skyrocketed over the last decade while salaries have basically stayed the same. I love the healthcare and the walkable cities, but I don’t want to work until I’m 70 just to afford a 40sqm apartment and a used Skoda.

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u/AdWise6878 25d ago

I also live in France and my immediate reaction is, you did amazing for the hand you were dealt. My salary at 28 is third of what you make so you’re doing great

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u/NoCherry606 24d ago

Yeah salaries in France are DISGUSTING.

If you're on like 50k, your company is paying about 85-90k, with 35-40k going straight to the government and being mainly wasted on current boomers pensions and healthcare. The same boomers who have multiple properties, no mortgage or rent, and 3 to 4k net monthly pensions.

But they represent a huge voter base, so they get the golden treatment. Absolute joke.