Young Greeks leave home after 30, face highest housing costs in EU
Young Greeks leave their parental homes later than most of their European peers and, once they do, they are required to spend the largest share of their income on housing anywhere in the European Union, according to Eurostat data.
In 2024, the average age for young people leaving home in the EU stood at 26.2 years, slightly down from 26.3 years in 2023. The highest averages were recorded in Croatia (31.3 years), Slovakia (30.9 years), Greece (30.7 years), Italy (30.1 years), and Spain (30 years). The lowest were found in Finland (21.4 years), Denmark (21.7 years), and Sweden (21.9 years).
While countries such as Cyprus, Croatia, and Italy also see young people leaving home later, subsequent housing costs there tend to be relatively low.
In Greece, however, the opposite is true. Despite leaving home at an older age, often after a number of years in the workforce, young Greeks face the EU’s steepest housing burden.
In 2024, they spent on average 30.3 percent of their disposable income on rent, the highest rate in the bloc. Denmark followed at 28.9 percent.
Kathimerini
