A survey has found Slovenia well ahead of the rest of Eastern Europe in terms of purchasing power. According to the RegioData survey from Austria, an average Slovenian's purchasing power now stands at 80% of that of Austria's average, Slovene Press Agency reports.

The survey found Eastern Europe continuing to close the gap quickly with Western Europe. It also found big differences among the countries of the region.

While Slovenia's purchasing power stands at 79.9% of Austria's average, Ukraine's is only at 18.3%.

According to the authors, it will take decades for Eastern Europe to catch up with the West.

The survey also found large differences in development between urban areas and rural areas in Eastern Europe, with purchasing power in cities growing significantly faster.

Regional differences now stand at over 200% in some places. Purchasing power in Slovenia stands at EUR 22,600, while the country is followed by the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia and Poland.