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 the same timeframe, rents grew by 3.0%, further extending their upward trend across the bloc. Eurostat also noted that house prices rose by 1.2% from the first quarter, with rents climbing 0.7%. These figures indicate that housing costs continued to rise throughout much of the EU during this period.
In the euro area, housing price growth was more subdued than in the broader EU during the second quarter, with prices up 4.0% year-on-year and 1.1% from the previous quarter. The annual growth rate slowed from 4.6% in the first quarter of 2026, when euro area prices had been higher. Overall, EU 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, though price movements varied significantly across member states. Among those with available data, 23 countries experienced increases in house prices, while three saw declines. Portugal led with a 16.5% rise, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5%, and Lithuania at 14.3%. Conversely, prices fell in Finland by 2.7%, Luxembourg by 2.2%, and France by 0.8%.
Most EU housing markets witness broad quarterly improvements
During the April-to-June period, quarterly data confirmed rising prices in most EU nations. Out of the countries with available data, 24 experienced price increases, with only two recording declines. Lithuania saw the strongest quarterly increase at 5.0%, with Bulgaria at 4.5%, and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary experienced a 1.4% decrease, while house prices in France dropped by 0.8% from the previous quarter.
A comparison with the 2025 annual averages also points to ongoing upward trends in EU housing expenses. House prices in the second quarter of 2026 were 4.1% higher than a year earlier, with rents increasing by 2.6%. Bulgaria led house price growth for this measure at 14.3%, followed by Portugal at 14.2%, and Lithuania at 12.8%. Finland and France, however, recorded declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively.
Rental prices rise in every EU member state
When comparing rents in the second quarter with the 2025 annual averages, all EU nations experienced increases. Romania saw the highest jump at 41.2%, with Croatia at 22.1% and Slovenia at 10.2%. Estonia and Finland recorded the smallest increases, each at 0.1%, while Luxembourg’s rents rose by 1.2%. These figures demonstrate significant variation in rental market dynamics across different countries.
Eurostat employs the House Price Index to monitor fluctuations in residential property prices for households, including both new and existing dwellings. The index encompasses flats, detached houses, and terraced homes, regardless of ownership history or primary use. Since the first quarter of 2024, EU house prices have shown consistent quarterly growth. The next release, covering data for the third quarter of 2026, is scheduled for January 11, 2027.