EU countries by housing cost overburden rate

Greece had the highest housing cost overburden rate of 27 EU countries in 2018, at 39.5%. Malta had the lowest, at 1.7%. The median was 6.8% and the figure for the European Union (27) was 9.6%. Source: Eurostat, European Commission.

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Highest39.5Greece
Lowest1.7Malta
Median6.827 EU countries
European Union (27)9.6History

Map of EU countries, 2018

Austria: 6.8 %Belgium: 8.9 %Bulgaria: 17.9 %Cyprus: 2 %Czechia: 7.8 %Germany: 14.2 %Denmark: 14.7 %Estonia: 4 %Spain: 8.9 %Finland: 4.3 %France: 4.7 %Greece: 39.5 %Croatia: 5.1 %Hungary: 9.6 %Ireland: 3.4 %Italy: 8.2 %Lithuania: 5.6 %Luxembourg: 9.3 %Latvia: 6.7 %Malta: 1.7 %Netherlands: 9.4 %Poland: 6.2 %Portugal: 5.7 %Romania: 10.3 %Sweden: 8.3 %Slovenia: 4.9 %Slovakia: 4.1 %
  • Under 4.4
  • 4.4 to 5.9
  • 5.9 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9.6
  • 9.6 and over
%, 2018. Source: Eurostat, Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a). Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

All EU countries, 2018

Greece: 39.5 %Greece39.5Bulgaria: 17.9 %Bulgaria17.9Denmark: 14.7 %Denmark14.7Germany: 14.2 %Germany14.2Romania: 10.3 %Romania10.3Hungary: 9.6 %Hungary9.6Netherlands: 9.4 %Netherlands9.4Luxembourg: 9.3 %Luxembourg9.3Belgium: 8.9 %Belgium8.9Spain: 8.9 %Spain8.9Sweden: 8.3 %Sweden8.3Italy: 8.2 %Italy8.2Czechia: 7.8 %Czechia7.8Austria: 6.8 %Austria6.8Latvia: 6.7 %Latvia6.7Poland: 6.2 %Poland6.2Portugal: 5.7 %Portugal5.7Lithuania: 5.6 %Lithuania5.6Croatia: 5.1 %Croatia5.1Slovenia: 4.9 %Slovenia4.9France: 4.7 %France4.7Finland: 4.3 %Finland4.3Slovakia: 4.1 %Slovakia4.1Estonia: 4 %Estonia4Ireland: 3.4 %Ireland3.4Cyprus: 2 %Cyprus2Malta: 1.7 %Malta1.7Greece: 39.5 %Greece39.5Bulgaria: 17.9 %Bulgaria17.9Denmark: 14.7 %Denmark14.7Germany: 14.2 %Germany14.2Romania: 10.3 %Romania10.3Hungary: 9.6 %Hungary9.6Netherlands: 9.4 %Netherlands9.4Luxembourg: 9.3 %Luxembourg9.3Belgium: 8.9 %Belgium8.9Spain: 8.9 %Spain8.9Sweden: 8.3 %Sweden8.3Italy: 8.2 %Italy8.2Czechia: 7.8 %Czechia7.8Austria: 6.8 %Austria6.8Latvia: 6.7 %Latvia6.7Poland: 6.2 %Poland6.2Portugal: 5.7 %Portugal5.7Lithuania: 5.6 %Lithuania5.6Croatia: 5.1 %Croatia5.1Slovenia: 4.9 %Slovenia4.9France: 4.7 %France4.7Finland: 4.3 %Finland4.3Slovakia: 4.1 %Slovakia4.1Estonia: 4 %Estonia4Ireland: 3.4 %Ireland3.4Cyprus: 2 %Cyprus2Malta: 1.7 %Malta1.7
%. Source: Eurostat, Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankEU countries2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Greece39.5-0.1 pts
2Bulgaria17.9-1 pts
3Denmark14.7-1 pts
4Germany14.2-0.3 pts
5Romania10.3-2 pts
6Hungary9.6-1.1 pts
7Netherlands9.40 pts
8Luxembourg9.3+2.2 pts
9Belgium8.9-0.5 pts
9Spain8.9-0.9 pts
11Sweden8.3-0.1 pts
12Italy8.20 pts
13Czechia7.8-0.9 pts
14Austria6.8-0.3 pts
15Latvia6.7-0.2 pts
16Poland6.2-0.5 pts
17Portugal5.7-1 pts
18Lithuania5.6-1.6 pts
19Croatia5.1-0.7 pts
20Slovenia4.9-0.3 pts
21France4.7-0.3 pts
22Finland4.30 pts
23Slovakia4.1-4.3 pts
24Estonia4-0.8 pts
25Ireland3.4-1.1 pts
26Cyprus2-0.8 pts
27Malta1.7+0.3 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Share of the population living in households where total housing costs, net of housing allowances, are more than 40% of disposable income, net of housing allowances. Housing costs include rent or mortgage interest, utilities, regular maintenance and related taxes (EU statistics on income and living conditions, EU-SILC).

The EU measure of housing affordability. Mortgage principal repayments are not counted as a housing cost. The reference year is the survey year.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the EU countries are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Eurostat. Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Eurostat, European Commission. (2026). Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a) (EU countries by housing cost overburden rate, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table

MLA 9

Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a), EU countries by housing cost overburden rate, 2018. Eurostat, European Commission, 17 Sept. 2026, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-cost-overburden-rate/eu-countries?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Eurostat, European Commission. 2026. Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a). EU countries by housing cost overburden rate, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-cost-overburden-rate/eu-countries?period=2018.

Harvard

Eurostat, European Commission (2026) Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a), EU countries by housing cost overburden rate, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-cost-overburden-rate/eu-countries?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{eurostat_eu_countries_by_housing_2018,
  author = {{Eurostat, European Commission}},
  title = {{Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc\_lvho07a): EU countries by housing cost overburden rate, 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-cost-overburden-rate/eu-countries?period=2018. Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc\_lvho07a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc\_lvho07a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Eurostat, European Commission
TI  - Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a): EU countries by housing cost overburden rate, 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/17
PB  - Eurostat, European Commission
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-cost-overburden-rate/eu-countries?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-cost-overburden-rate/eu-countries?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Eurostat. Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a). https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/ilc_lvho07a/default/table. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which EU country has the highest housing cost overburden rate?

Greece, with 39.5% in 2018, according to Eurostat, European Commission.

Which EU country has the lowest housing cost overburden rate?

Malta, with 1.7% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Eurostat, European Commission, Housing cost overburden rate, total population (ilc_lvho07a). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

EU countries: more rankings