Housing Cost Pressure Varies Widely Across the EU

Housing affordability in the EU has an uneven spread across the continent according to data from Eurostat. The share of people spending more than 40 percent of their disposable income on housing ranges from just 2.4 percent in Cyprus to 28.9 percent in Greece. The EU 27 average stands at 8.2 percent, but this figure masks significant disparities between countries. After Greece, Turkey appears among the most heavily burdened, while countries like Finland, Sweden, and France sit at the lighter end of the scale, suggesting considerably lower housing cost pressure on their populations. The disparities carry real implications for labor mobility and quality of life. In countries where housing consumes a disproportionate share of income, workers in lower-wage sectors, such as the hospitality industry, could face particularly acute pressure.