[bpodgursky]

Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece have a lot of very smart and hard workers, but they are not (yet) wealthy countries. People in eastern Europe simply do not have the disposable income that Americans or western Europeans (usually) have.

[ccozan]

Have you been lately in Romania? You would be surprised how much disposable income people have there.

The country is one of the biggest cereal producer of EU, a major car industry player and has big reserves of oil and gas.

Anecdotally, since turism/horeca services is really a minor part of the GDP, the COVID-19 will not affect it too much. Whereas in West going out is a major activity and has much influence.

[nl]

The average yearly income in Romania is US$8100 per year. The average income in Mississippi (the poorest state in the US) is $42,000.

That's a fair difference in available disposable income!

(Having said that, I've worked with some Romania developers and they were great. I'd hire there, but there are better markets to sell into)

[ccozan]

Agree, but the average income does not give any indication of the said disposable income to the respective income ( in % ). Also averages reflect quite poor the distribution of income, since some outliers can move the point quite drastically.

But, yes point taken, there is of course a difference. Corruption is a main point. Also due to the gray or black economy I suspect that the above $8100 are likely double.

[nl]

Additionally lots of corruption and a large black economy do not make a country an attractive target for startups to target.