YouTube Earnings in Europe by Country: What Creators Actually Make

YouTube earnings are driven primarily by CPM — the amount advertisers bid to show ads per 1,000 views. CPM is not set by YouTube; it is determined by advertiser competition in each market. A German financial services company bidding to reach affluent German viewers will pay more than a Spanish retail brand targeting Spanish consumers, because the German viewer represents higher potential spending.

Four factors drive CPM differences across Europe. First, GDP and consumer spending power: Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands have among the highest per-capita incomes in Europe, and advertisers pay a premium to reach their residents. Second, advertiser density: markets like Germany and the UK have large numbers of domestic advertisers competing for the same ad inventory, which pushes CPMs up. Third, content niche: finance, insurance, software, and legal content attract the highest CPMs in every country. Fourth, viewer language: English-language content from European creators can attract US and UK advertisers, potentially earning higher CPMs than equivalent local-language content.

It is also important to distinguish CPM from RPM. CPM is the gross rate advertisers pay. RPM (Revenue Per Mille) is what creators actually receive — roughly 55% of CPM after YouTube's 45% revenue share. A channel reporting a €10 CPM will have an RPM of approximately €5.50.

Norway is consistently among the highest-paying YouTube markets in Europe. Average CPMs range from €6.50–€16 depending on niche, giving creators an RPM of €3.50–€8.80. A Norwegian creator with 200,000 monthly views in a finance niche might realistically earn €1,200–€1,700/month from ads alone.

Switzerland follows closely, with CPMs averaging €6–€13 (approximately $6.89–$23 at recent exchange rates). Swiss-German content competes for DACH market ad budgets alongside Germany and Austria.

Germany, Europe's largest advertising market, offers CPMs of €5–€9.80 for most niches. Finance content can reach €12–€18. An established German creator with 500,000 monthly views in personal finance earns approximately €3,000–€4,500/month from YouTube ads — a meaningful income but not life-changing without supplementary revenue.

The Netherlands sees CPMs of €4.50–€8.62, with Dutch-language content competing for a smaller but high-value advertiser pool. The UK, while no longer in the EU, remains the largest creator market in Europe by both creator count and revenue, with CPMs of £5–£15 (€5.80–€17.40).

France and Belgium offer CPMs of €3.50–€6.50 for general content, rising to €8–€14 for finance, legal, and technology categories. The French creator economy generated approximately €7.5 billion in 2025, growing at roughly 20% year-on-year.

Spain's YouTube market is substantial in audience size but lower in CPM. Average rates sit at €2.50–€5.50, reflecting lower advertiser competition and consumer spending compared to Northern Europe. A Spanish creator with 1 million monthly views might earn €1,400–€2,800/month from ads — viable but requiring supplementary income for full-time sustainability.

Italy is similar to Spain, with CPMs averaging €2.50–€5.00. The Italian creator economy is growing, particularly in fashion, lifestyle, and food content, but ad rates have not yet caught up with Northern European markets.

Poland, Czech Republic, and Hungary represent a tier below, with CPMs typically in the €1.20–€3.00 range. Eastern European creators who produce content in English targeting Western audiences can earn significantly more — this is a common strategy among Polish and Romanian creators.

Portugal's CPMs average €2.00–€4.00 for domestic content. The country has become a hub for digital nomads, and English-language channels run by Portugal-based creators access higher global CPMs.

Greece and Romania sit at the lower end: €1.00–€2.50 CPM. Creators in these markets often rely more heavily on brand partnerships and affiliate marketing, where geographic arbitrage can work in their favour — living in a low-cost country while earning in euros or dollars from Western European or US advertisers.

Location matters, but it is not destiny. Creators anywhere in Europe can improve their effective earnings through deliberate choices about content, language, and monetisation mix.

Creating English-language content is the single biggest lever. A Polish creator making personal finance videos in English rather than Polish instantly accesses US, UK, Canadian, and Australian advertisers — all of whom pay significantly higher CPMs. The trade-off is competing in a larger, more crowded market.

Niche selection is the second lever. Finance, insurance, software tutorials, and legal content consistently command the highest CPMs in every European country. A Spanish creator covering Spanish fintech products (Revolut, Bizum, Trade Republic Spain) can earn 2–3x the CPM of a Spanish entertainment creator.

Seasonal timing affects earnings substantially. Q4 (October–December) sees CPMs spike 40–70% across European markets as brands exhaust annual advertising budgets before year-end. Publishing your best, most monetisable content in Q4 rather than spreading it evenly through the year can significantly increase annual revenue.

Finally, do not rely on ad revenue alone. European creators at 100,000 subscribers realistically earn €300–€800/month from ads. Adding €500–€1,500/month from brand deals, €200–€600/month from affiliate links, and €100–€400/month from digital products transforms a modest ad income into a viable business.