![\"Athens_Acropolis\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Athens_Acropolis_Greek-Reporter.jpg\")
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Greeks have historically delayed moving into their own homes. Credit: Greek Reporter<\/p>\n
Greece<\/a> has the highest housing cost<\/a> overburden in the European Union, according to new figures from Eurostat, the EU\u2019s statistical office. Nearly one in three Greeks (30.3%) spends at least 40% of their disposable income on housing, compared with just 8.2% across the EU.<\/p>\n Denmark follows at 28.9%, while countries like the Netherlands (15.3%), Germany (14.8%), and Sweden (13.5%) report significantly lower levels. At the other end of the spectrum, Croatia (2.1%), Cyprus (2.8%), and Slovenia (3%) record the lowest rates.<\/p>\n Young Greeks among Europe\u2019s latest to move out due to housing costs in Greece<\/p>\n These steep housing costs are closely linked to another trend: young Greeks are among the Europeans who leave their parents\u2019 home at the latest age. On average, they move out at 30.7 years old, trailing only Croatia (31.3) and Slovakia (30.9). By contrast, in Northern Europe, young people leave much earlier\u201421.4 in Finland<\/a>, 21.7 in Denmark, and 21.9 in Sweden.<\/p>\n While Greeks have historically delayed moving into their own homes, the gap has widened since the financial crisis<\/a> and especially in the last few years, when housing affordability became an acute challenge.<\/p>\n The Greek paradox<\/p>\n Eurostat<\/a> reports that in 16 of the EU\u2019s 27 member states, including Greece, young people under 29 face a disproportionate burden from housing costs relative to their income.<\/p>\n In countries where young people tend to move out earlier\u2014such as Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, and Finland\u2014housing costs place a heavier burden on youth.<\/p>\n In contrast, countries where young adults leave home later, like Cyprus, Croatia, and Italy, generally report lower housing cost pressures.<\/p>\n Greece is an exception: despite young people leaving home relatively late, they still face a high housing cost overburden.<\/p>\n In 2024, 9.7% of young people (aged 15-29) in the EU spent 40% or more of their disposable income on housing (housing cost overburden rate).\ud83c\udfe1\ud83d\udcc8<\/p>\n Highest in: Lowest in: Learn more\ud83d\udc49https:\/\/t.co\/H88tM5h6Yz<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ErbTtB2WsF<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) September 23, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n
\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\uddf7Greece (30.3%)
\ud83c\udde9\ud83c\uddf0Denmark (28.9%)<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udded\ud83c\uddf7Croatia (2.1%)
\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfeCyprus (2.8%)<\/p>\n