The average transaction price of new housing in Europe was the highest in Norway, whereas existing homes were the most expensive in Austria. Since there is no central body that collects and tracks transaction activity or house prices across the whole continent or the European Union, not all countries are included. To compile the ranking, the source weighed the transaction prices of residential properties in the most important cities in each country based on data from their national offices. For example, in Germany, the cities included were Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Berlin. House prices have been soaring, with Sweden topping the ranking Considering the RHPI of houses in Europe (the price index in real terms, which measures price changes of single-family properties adjusted for the impact of inflation), however, the picture changes. Sweden, Luxembourg and Norway top this ranking, meaning residential property prices have surged the most in these countries. Real values were calculated using the so-called Personal Consumption Expenditure Deflator (PCE), This PCE uses both consumer prices as well as consumer expenditures, like medical and health care expenses paid by employers. It is meant to show how expensive housing is compared to the way of living in a country. Home ownership highest in Eastern Europe The home ownership rate in Europe varied from country to country. In 2020, roughly half of all homes in Germany were owner-occupied whereas home ownership was at nearly ** percent in Romania or around ** percent in Slovakia and Lithuania. These numbers were considerably higher than in France or Italy, where homeowners made up ** percent and ** percent of their respective populations.For more information on the topic of property in Europe, visit the following pages as a starting point for your research: real estate investments in Europe and residential real estate in Europe.

The house price to income index in Europe declined in almost all European countries in 2023, indicating that income grew faster than house prices. Portugal, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands led the house price to income index ranking in 2023, with values exceeding *** index points. Romania, Bulgaria, and Finland were on the other side of the spectrum, with less than 100 index points. The house price to income ratio is an indicator for the development of housing affordability across OECD countries and is calculated as the nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 chosen as a base year. A ratio higher than 100 means that the nominal house price growth since 2015 has outpaced the nominal disposable income growth, and housing is therefore comparatively less affordable. In 2023, the OECD average stood at ***** index points.

Key information about House Prices Growth

• EU house prices grew 3.8% YoY in Sep 2024, following an increase of 3.0% YoY in the previous quarter.
• YoY growth data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 2006 to Sep 2024, with an average growth rate of 3.6%.
• House price data reached an all-time high of 11.2% in Dec 2006 and a record low of -4.8% in Jun 2009.

Geneva stands out as Europe's most expensive city for apartment purchases in early 2025, with prices reaching a staggering 15,720 euros per square meter. This Swiss city's real estate market dwarfs even high-cost locations like Zurich and London, highlighting the extreme disparities in housing affordability across the continent. The stark contrast between Geneva and more affordable cities like Nantes, France, where the price was 3,700 euros per square meter, underscores the complex factors influencing urban property markets in Europe. Rental market dynamics and affordability challenges While purchase prices vary widely, rental markets across Europe also show significant differences. London maintained its position as the continent's priciest city for apartment rentals in 2023, with the average monthly costs for a rental apartment amounting to 36.1 euros per square meter. This figure is double the rent in Lisbon, Portugal or Madrid, Spain, and substantially higher than in other major capitals like Paris and Berlin. The disparity in rental costs reflects broader economic trends, housing policies, and the intricate balance of supply and demand in urban centers. Economic factors influencing housing costs The European housing market is influenced by various economic factors, including inflation and energy costs. As of April 2025, the European Union's inflation rate stood at 2.4 percent, with significant variations among member states. Romania experienced the highest inflation at 4.9 percent, while France and Cyprus maintained lower rates. These economic pressures, coupled with rising energy costs, contribute to the overall cost of living and housing affordability across Europe. The volatility in electricity prices, particularly in countries like Italy where rates are projected to reach 153.83 euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, further impacts housing-related expenses for both homeowners and renters.

This dataset provides values for AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Portugal, the Netherlands and Austria are among the countries where house prices grew the most in comparison to income since 2015. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the house price to income ratio in the Netherlands and Austria exceeded *** index points, indicating that since 2015, house price growth has outpaced income growth by ** percent. In Portugal, the index amounted to *** index points in the same period. This was not the case in all countries in the ranking: In Finland, Bulgaria, and Romania, the opposite trend was observed, showing that incomes grew faster than house prices. The house price to income ratio is calculated as the nominal house prices divided by nominal income per capita, with 2015 chosen as the base year of the index. The ratio signifies the development of housing affordability, with higher figures meaning housing is more unaffordable. There are other indices, such as RHPI (or house price indices corrected by inflation rates) which look at this as well.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2024. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 116.2 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

The average for 2021 based on 41 countries was 107.06 index points. The highest value was in Switzerland: 156.92 index points and the lowest value was in Ukraine: 55 index points. The indicator is available from 2017 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

European Union House Price Index: Existing Dwellings: EU 27 excl UK data was reported at 153.400 2015=100 in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 152.420 2015=100 for Sep 2024. European Union House Price Index: Existing Dwellings: EU 27 excl UK data is updated quarterly, averaging 109.210 2015=100 from Dec 2009 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 153.400 2015=100 in Dec 2024 and a record low of 96.690 2015=100 in Mar 2013. European Union House Price Index: Existing Dwellings: EU 27 excl UK data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.EB001: Eurostat: House Price Index: 2015=100.

European Union House Price Index: EU 27 excl UK data was reported at 155.790 2015=100 in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 154.620 2015=100 for Sep 2024. European Union House Price Index: EU 27 excl UK data is updated quarterly, averaging 102.895 2015=100 from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 155.790 2015=100 in Dec 2024 and a record low of 83.540 2015=100 in Mar 2005. European Union House Price Index: EU 27 excl UK data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.EB001: Eurostat: House Price Index: 2015=100. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

European Union House Price Index: EA19 data was reported at 147.730 2015=100 in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 146.800 2015=100 for Sep 2024. European Union House Price Index: EA19 data is updated quarterly, averaging 102.725 2015=100 from Mar 2005 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 80 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 147.730 2015=100 in Dec 2024 and a record low of 88.300 2015=100 in Mar 2005. European Union House Price Index: EA19 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.EB001: Eurostat: House Price Index: 2015=100.

Rents in Germany continued to increase in all seven major cities in 2024. The average rent per square meter in Munich was approximately **** euros — the highest in the country. Conversely, Düsseldorf had the most affordable rent, at approximately **** euros per square meter. But how does renting compare to buying? According to the house price to rent ratio, house prices in Germany have risen faster than rents, making renting more affordable than buying. Affordability of housing in Germany In 2023, Germany was among the European countries with a relatively high house price to income ratio in Europe. The indicator compares the affordability of housing across OECD countries and is calculated as the nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 chosen as a base year. Between 2012 and 2022, property prices in the country rose much faster than income, with the house price to income index peaking at *** index points at the beginning of 2022. Slower house price growth in the following years has led to the index declining, as incomes catch up. Nevertheless, homebuyers in 2024 faced significantly higher mortgage interest rates, contributing to a higher final cost. How much does buying a property in Germany cost? Just as with renting, Munich was the most expensive city for newly built apartments. In 2024, the cost per square meter in Munich was almost ***** euros pricier than in the runner-up city, Frankfurt. Detached and semi-detached houses are usually more expensive. The price gap between Munich and the second most expensive city, Stuttgart, was nearly ***** euros per square meter.

European Union House Price Index: Existing Dwellings: EA 20 data was reported at 146.710 2015=100 in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 145.980 2015=100 for Sep 2024. European Union House Price Index: Existing Dwellings: EA 20 data is updated quarterly, averaging 108.160 2015=100 from Dec 2009 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 61 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 147.470 2015=100 in Sep 2022 and a record low of 97.840 2015=100 in Mar 2014. European Union House Price Index: Existing Dwellings: EA 20 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s European Union – Table EU.EB001: Eurostat: House Price Index: 2015=100.

How much more expensive are houses in European capital cities than in the rest of the country? Of all the capital cities in Europe, prices in Paris had the highest disproportion to the national average in 2023. A new house in the French capital cost more than ***** times the price of a house outside the city. This was followed by Barcelona, Munich and Athens.

Descriptive statistics of macro-level indicators, by country.

In 2024, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Spain exhibited the highest inflation-adjusted increase in house prices among the countries under observation. In the fourth quarter of the year, house prices in Bulgaria grew by nearly ** percent in real terms, whereas globally, prices declined by about * percent. The country with the highest price drop was Luxembourg, at almost ***** percent. Turkey, France, and Austria also experienced a notable decline in prices, at **, *** and *** percent, respectively. These figures are based on the development of the real house price index, with 2010 chosen as a baseline year. When looking at the long-term index development, Turkey observed the biggest increase in prices in the region. When looking at the average house price in the major European markets, Norway emerged as the country with the most expensive residential property. Meanwhile, cities such as Geneva, Zurich, and London had the highest average apartment prices.

Mortgage interest rates in Italy decreased substantially between 2013 and 2021 before rising in the following years. The second quarter of 2024, the mortgage interest rates amounted to 3.55 percent - lower than the rate in the same period in the previous year. A slowly recovering market Despite not reaching the pre-crisis levels, an increase in the number of transactions in the residential real estate market as well as the volume of mortgages stipulated for house purchase indicate a positive trend for the sector in Italy. Homeownership in Italy reached 73.7 percent in 2021, one of the highest rates in Western Europe. Low interest rates, especially when compared to other European countries, and decreasing house prices led to a renewed interest in the real estate market in Italy. Milan, an attractive destination for investments In recent years, more than in the past, thanks to its role as a capital of business and finance as well as an innovation hub, Milan was able to attract human capital and investments, both domestic and foreign. This ability to grow and innovate was also reflected in the real estate market, which was the most dynamic in the country. Transactions in residential real estate in Milan increased steadily since 2012, except for 2020, and so did prices: some areas of the city are among the most expensive in the country to buy a property.

Austria had the highest average transaction price of a new dwelling in Europe in 2023 at over ***** euros per square meter. Germany had the second-highest average transaction price at ***** euros per square meter. Bosnia and Herzegovina had the lowest average transaction price of the countries included, with ***** euros per square meter during the same period.

As of 2023, the average taxation rate for a single person without children who earned an average salary in the European Union was ***** percent of their total earnings. For a two-earner couple without children earning an average salary it was slightly less, at ***** percent, while for a single person without children earning **** times the average salary, the rate of taxation in the EU was *****%. Having children greatly reduced the average rate of taxation, with a one-earner couple with two children in the EU only paying out ***** percent of their gross household earnings in taxes in 2023. Tax rates in Europe are generally quite high, due to the progressive income tax systems set in place during the 20th century in many countries, which require high taxation in order to fund generous social welfare systems. ******* was the country with the highest average rates of taxation in 2023, with a high earning single person without children subject to pay almost half of their gross household earnings out in taxes. Other countries in North-western Europe such as *******, *******, and ********** also top the list for highest income taxation rates in Europe, while ****** was the country in Europe with the lowest average taxation rates in Europe during the same period. In both ******* and ******, single-earner families with two children actually saw the lowest average tax rates, due to the strong pronatalist policies in these countries and tax incentives for traditional single-earner households.

The countries with the highest annual change in average transaction prices of new dwellings in Europe in 2023 were Hungary, Poland and Portugal. Italy, Denmark and Norway were the three countries which experienced the largest decline in prices. Among the ranked countries, Austria and Germany were the most expensive countries for housing in that year.