Home Prices Hit Record Highs Across One-Third of EU Nations

Buying a home in the European Union has never been more expensive. In the first quarter of 2026, housing prices across the bloc surged 5.1% compared to the same period last year, while rents climbed 3%, according to a new analysis of Eurostat data by RIA Novosti. Eight EU countries saw record-breaking price jumps, marking the sharpest increases in years.

Portugal led the pack with a staggering 17.8% rise in home purchase prices, followed by Bulgaria at 14.8% and Slovakia at 14.4%. Only Finland bucked the trend, where prices actually dropped by 2% year-over-year. For a third of all EU member states, the quarterly growth rate was the highest in several years. In Slovakia, for instance, the pace hasn’t been this fast since the third quarter of 2022. Latvia saw a similar milestone, with prices jumping 10.9% — also a record since late 2022.

Lithuania posted an 11.9% increase, the strongest since early 2023, while Slovenia (9.3%) and Austria (4.2%) hit their highest levels since the fourth quarter of 2022. Romania (7.8%) and Sweden (2.6%) saw their fastest growth since the second quarter of 2022. Italy’s 5.2% rise matched its all-time record, first set in the second quarter of 2022, when data collection began. The numbers paint a clear picture: for many Europeans, the dream of owning a home is slipping further out of reach.