Countries with the most expensive real estate in the European Union

Which EU countries have the most expensive real estate?

The latest Eurostat data allow us to take a look at the EU real estate market and find out in which countries housing is more expensive. According to these data, which show housing costs (including water, electricity, gas and other fuels) compared to the EU average, prices differ significantly between countries. 

The highest housing costs in 2023 compared to the EU average were recorded in Switzerland (110.2% above the EU average), Denmark (89.2% above) and Ireland (85.7% above). The lowest, on the other hand, were observed in Bulgaria (62.4% below the EU average), Croatia (56.3% below) and Poland (54.5% below).

Source: Eurostat

In addition, it is also interesting to analyze inflation and see the countries with the highest increase in real estate prices. Eurostat data between 2010 and 2023 reflect an upward trend between 2013 and 2022, with particularly large annual increases in 2021 (8.4%) and 2022 (7.8%) and a total increase of 48% between 2010 and 2023.  The largest increases were observed in Estonia (+209%), Hungary (+191%) and Lithuania (+154%), while decreases were recorded in Italy (-8%) and Cyprus (-2%).

Below, we have a closer look at the top 10 of these countries.

Switzerland

Source: Pixabay

If you are looking to buy an apartment in the vibrant heart of Bern, buy a house in a quiet town or rent an apartment somewhere in this country, you should keep in mind that Switzerland stands out as the European country with the highest real estate prices. 

The average price per square meter varies depending on the type of property and location, but on average for March 2025, the price of flats is at 7,587 CHF/m² (about 7,943.73 euros), and the price of houses is at 7,161 CHF/m² (about 7,497.42 euros). In urban areas such as the centre of major cities, prices can exceed CHF 14,000/m² (14,656 euros), while in the suburbs, they tend to be lower, averaging around CHF 11,355/m² (11,887 euros).

Denmark

Source: Pixabay

Second on our list is Denmark, with similarly supremely high real estate prices, especially in urban areas such as Copenhagen and Frederiksberg. Among the main reasons for this phenomenon are historically low interest rates, rising disposable incomes, high demand versus limited supply, speculation in the market and regulations in the rental sector. All of these factors have driven up property prices and made access to housing more difficult for many people. 

The average price per square meter for single-family homes is DKK 16,507 (about 2,212 euros), while apartments reach DKK 38,145 (about 5,113 euros). In Frederiksberg, prices can exceed DKK 73,492 per square meter (about 10,000 euros), while in rural areas such as Horslunde they drop to DKK 3,050 (about 408 euros).

Ireland

Source: Steven Hylands, Pexels

Ireland ranks third on the list in terms of European real estate prices. The national average price for homes is around 3,944 euros/m² for apartments and 3,413 euros/m² for houses. One of the main factors affecting prices in Ireland is the high demand that far exceeds supply due to population growth and the shortage of new construction.

Dublin is the most expensive city in Ireland, with prices per square meter for apartments reaching 7,665 euros in the centre, while houses average 4,190 euros per square meter. However, although the prices are high, it must be said that it is worth living in Dublin, as this city tops Remote's ranking of the best countries in Europe to live and work in.  

Dublin is the main economic and business centre of Ireland and is home to numerous multinational companies, start-ups and world-renowned technology companies. Major companies such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter have their European headquarters in Dublin, offering a wide range of job opportunities in sectors such as technology, finance, engineering and digital marketing. The city is also a financial services hub, with many international banks and financial institutions. Dublin has a thriving start-up scene, with numerous co-working spaces and accelerators. 

Luxembourg

Source: Pixabay

Luxembourg enjoys both the highest minimum wage as well as the highest average salary in the European Union, however, this comes with significant expenses, especially when it comes to accommodation as the price of real estate is also dizzyingly high. 

Housing prices vary considerably across the Grand Duchy, with townhouses and residential apartments in the centre of Luxembourg City being comparatively more expensive than studios in rural and less popular areas. In 2025, average prices per square meter in the centre reached 10,599 euros/m², while in the North, they were lower at 5,896 euros/m². 

The government has implemented several initiatives to address the problem. These include the Housing Pact 2.0, which seeks to increase the supply of affordable housing by mobilizing existing land and resources. In addition, rental subsidies and tax measures such as increased credits for buyers and reductions in capital gains taxes have been introduced. These policies seek to balance the market and ensure access to housing for more people.

Iceland

Source: Pavel Danilyuk, Pexels

Although real estate prices in Iceland are not as impressively high as in the previous four countries, they are still 53.9% higher than the European Union average. 

In the urban centre of Reykjavik the average price per square meter of apartments is approximately 923,021 ISK (about 6,396 euros), with a range from 750,000 ISK (5,197 euros) to 1,100,000 ISK (7,622 euros). Outside the Reykjavik urban centre prices are slightly lower with an average of ISK 777,981 (5,391 euros) per square meter and a range between ISK 700,000 (4,850  euros) and ISK 1,000,000 (6,930 euros).

However, it is arguably worth the effort to pay these prices and live in Iceland, especially in Reykjavik. This city ranks as the second-best country in Europe in terms of work-life balance after Ireland in Remote's ranking of the best countries in Europe to live and work in.

Netherlands

Source: Pixabay

The Netherlands is known for its picturesque windmills, endless tulip fields and liberal attitude; however, things are not so beautiful from a real estate point of view. The Dutch real estate market is characterized by high demand, limited supply and steadily rising prices. In recent years, prices have experienced significant increases, driven by factors such as lower mortgage rates, growth in disposable income and a general economic recovery. On the supply side, the shortage of housing represents a major challenge, especially in urban areas such as Amsterdam.

The average price of apartments is 8,864 euros/m² nationally, although in Amsterda,m it can exceed 9,993 euros/m², and that of houses is 6,122 euros/m². In 202,4 house prices increased by an average of 8%, and the average house in the Netherlands currently costs around 473,000 euros.

Belgium

Source: Pixabay

In Belgium, real estate prices have shown an upward trend in recent years, however, they have recently stabilized or even decreased slightly in some regions such as Brussels and Wallonia. Demand remains high, but rising mortgage interest rates and construction costs have cooled the market, reducing the number of transactions. Currently, the average price per square meter of an apartment in Belgium is 4,014 euros/ m², and that of houses is 2,333 euros/m². 

The Belgian government has implemented several strategies to control high prices and encourage affordable housing. In Brussels, for example, it is illegal to keep habitable properties unoccupied, and the authorities can requisition these properties for renovation and offer them as social rentals.

Finland

Source: Pixabay

The real estate market in Finland has large price variations depending on location, property type and market conditions.  Big cities like Helsinki have a much higher demand due to the job opportunities they offer and the attractiveness of the city while smaller cities or rural areas have lower prices but also a geographical trend can be distinguished, in the south of Finland prices are higher while the north is more affordable. 

The average housing price in Finland is approximately 1,767 euros/m², in Helsinki, prices are significantly higher, averaging 4,775 euros per square meter, with the city center being the most expensive area, while in other metropolitan areas such as Espoo and Vantaa, prices are also high but lower than in Helsinki reaching 3,789 euros/m² and 2,856 euros/m² respectively.

Finland's prices are no longer as high as the mind-blowing prices of the first cities on the list and overall they are only 29.2% higher than the European average, which although quite a lot does not compare to 110.2% in Switzerland or 89.2% in Denmark. Also, if you are not afraid of the cold Finland can be one of the best countries to live in as according to theWorld Happiness Report 2024 Finland is the happiest nation in the world. Its so-called “happiness infrastructure” combines factors such as a strong commitment to human rights, universal access to healthcare, a resilient economy and a stable education system.

France

Source: Pexels

The French real estate market is marked by a persistent crisis although there are signs of stabilization after a significant drop in prices in 2024. Average prices per square meter vary considerably depending on the region, the apartment and the type of property. 

The national average price is estimated at around 3,017 euros/m², ranging from 1,953 to 4,286 euros depending on the location and type of property. In Paris prices are extremely high, around 9,562 euros/m² for apartments and up to 13,374 euros/m² houses, while other areas present much more affordable prices such as the department of Haute-Marne with prices of around 1,132 euros/m² for apartments and only 904 euros/m² for houses.

Germany

Source: Pixabay

To finish the list we have Germany with sales prices that have shown stability in recent years, however, rents have experienced more rapid increases due to high demand and a shortage of available housing.

In Germany's urban areas the average price per square meter exceeds 6,000 euros/m2 while in rural areas, prices are lower, although they have also increased considerably in recent years. In Berlin, for example, older homes have an average price of 5,200 euros/m² and new homes 8,200 euros/m² and in other cities such as Hamburg prices are 5,369 euros/m² for apartments and 5128 euros/m² for houses.

If you like the idea of comparing countries, check out some of our articles in this style.

EU house prices vary enormously, while there are countries with exorbitantly high prices such as Switzerland, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg there are others with much more affordable prices, however, if one were to decide where to live one should not only take into account the price of real estate, there are many other factors to take into account such as the job opportunities offered by the country, the level of wages, the health system, the culture and even the weather.