LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – European Union house prices increased by 4.7% in the second quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year. During this time, rents went up by 3.0%, marking a further extension of their upward trend across the bloc. Eurostat indicated that house prices also grew by 1.2% from the first quarter, while rental costs rose by 0.7%. These figures demonstrate that housing expenses continued their upward trajectory in much of the EU throughout the quarter.
In the second quarter, the euro area experienced slower growth in house prices than the broader EU. Prices in the eurozone increased by 4.0% year-over-year and by 1.1% compared to the previous quarter. The annual growth rate also decelerated from 4.6% in the first quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, EU-wide annual house price growth decreased from 5.1% in the first quarter to 4.7% in the second.
Data from individual countries revealed widespread annual gains, although the magnitude of price changes varied significantly across member states. Out of the nations with available data, 23 experienced increases in annual house prices, while three reported declines. Portugal saw the largest increase at 16.5%, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Conversely, prices fell by 2.7% in Finland, 2.2% in Luxembourg, and 0.8% in France.
Widespread quarterly improvements observed across EU housing markets
During the April-to-June period, most EU countries reported rising housing prices, with data showing increases in 24 member states and only two experiencing declines. Lithuania experienced the strongest quarterly increase at 5.0%, followed by Bulgaria at 4.5% and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary’s prices declined by 1.4%, while in France, house prices fell 0.8% from the previous quarter.
When comparing the second quarter of 2026 to the 2025 annual average, housing costs continued to rise across the EU. House prices were 4.1% higher, and rents increased by 2.6%. Bulgaria led with a 14.3% growth in house prices, followed by Portugal at 14.2% and Lithuania at 12.8%. Finland and France saw declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively.
Rental price growth persists across all EU countries
Every EU country experienced rent increases when comparing the second quarter to the 2025 annual average. Romania’s rental prices surged by 41.2%, with Croatia at 22.1% and Slovenia at 10.2%. Estonia and Finland recorded the smallest increases at 0.1% each, while rents in Luxembourg rose by 1.2%. These data points highlight the broad variation in rental price movements across national housing markets.
Eurostat’s House Price Index monitors changes in residential property prices bought by households, including new and existing homes. It covers flats, detached houses, and terraced properties, regardless of previous ownership or intended use. Since the first quarter of 2024, EU house prices have experienced consecutive quarterly increases. The upcoming release, covering the third quarter of 2026, is scheduled for January 11, 2027.