How do we apply dicounted Individual Membership?
At GEN Europe, we strive to make membership accessible and equitable for as many people as possible. To better accommodate members from diverse economic backgrounds, we have introduced a refined membership fee structure based on objective financial indicators. We recognized the need for a clearer and more consistent approach to categorizing countries for individual membership fees, including also members coming from outside of Europe. Our goal is to ensure that members from less privileged regions can participate through lower financial barriers.
How We Categorize Countries
The data for our categorization is sourced from Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index. To determine the appropriate membership tier for each country, we use two key economic indicators:
- Average Income – Reflecting the general earning capacity in each country.
- Cost of Living Index – Indicating the relative affordability of goods and services.
By analyzing these factors, we have set clear thresholds that assign countries to different membership categories.
| Ratio (Average Income ÷ Cost of Living Index) of under 40 are categorized under Disounted Membership. Countries with a ratio of over over 40 are categorized as Standard Membership. Example: Croatia Average Income = 1500 USD Cost of Living Index = 46.9 –> Ratio (Average Income ÷ Cost of Living) = 31,98 –> under 40 –> Disounted Membership Germany Average Income = 4046.91 USD Cost of Living Index = 62.7 –> Ratio (Average Income ÷ Cost of Living Index = 64.54 –> over 40 –> Standard Membership |
Membership Pricing Structure
We have revised our individual membership fees into three main categories:
1. Discounted Membership: 40€
This category includes members from:
- Eastern and Southern European countries: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey
- All countries from Latin and South America, Africa, and Asia.
2. Standard Membership: 80€
Applies to all other countries not listed under the discounted category.
3. Youth Membership: 60€
Available to young individuals aged 18-30, which also includes NextGEN membership benefits.
The limits of this approach
We want to acknoledge also the limits of this categorization system. While our approach aims to be fair and data-driven, economic conditions can vary significantly within each country, and no single measure can fully reflect the financial realities of all individuals. Some members in higher-income countries may still experience financial hardship, while some in discounted regions may have greater financial flexibility.
Despite these challenges, this model provides a structured and practical way to enhance global accessibility while ensuring the sustainability of our organization.
We welcome any feedback from our members and are open to refining this approach to ensure it serves our community best. Thank you for being a valued part of GEN Europe!
I’m curious why Slovenia is not part of the eastern and southern European region eligible for a discounted rate.
Dear Petra,
Thank you for your question! As explained in the blogpost we calculated the categories for indvidual membership via a ratio of Average Income ÷ Cost of Living Index, using the data from Numbeo’s Website: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/
We apply the discounted membership for all countries with a Ratio of under 40, which unfortunately is not the case for Slovenia.
For Slovenia the calculation looks like the following:
–> 2500 USD (Average Income) ÷ 49,3 (Cost of living Index) = 50,7
We acknowledge the limitations of this measurement and understand that it cannot fully capture individual realities. However, our goal is to get as close to reality as possible, and we are committed to transparently discussing our approach.