Ukrainian citizens who have settled in Europe are gradually adapting to local living conditions. However, they face an important question: how long do you need to work to save up for your own home in the EU? Find out more about this, because the answer depends on the country of residence, as real estate prices and salaries differ significantly

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Many Ukrainian refugees staying in the European Union plan to stay abroad for a long time and are beginning to consider buying their own housing. 

But how realistic is this and how many years of work will it take to earn money for an apartment in the EU? Read more about this in the article.

Integration of Ukrainian refugees in Europe: how long should you work to buy a home abroad

Czech Republic is the most difficult place to buy a house

The Czech Republic occupies the lowest positions in the ranking of housing affordability among European countries, proukrainu.blesk.cz reports.

According to the Property Index 2024 European Real Estate Market Survey, prepared by the consulting company Deloitte, in order to buy a standard new apartment of 70 square meters in the Czech Republic, you need to save all your earnings for 13 years.

This makes the Czech Republic the worst country in Europe for those planning to buy their own home. Unfortunately, the situation with the availability of housing in the country is not improving, and, according to Miroslav Linhart, senior partner of the financial department of the consulting company Deloitte, no changes are expected in the near future.

It is especially difficult to buy an apartment in the Czech capital, Prague, which remains the second least affordable metropolis in Europe after Amsterdam. In Prague, you need to save your salary for 13.5 years to buy a home, while in Amsterdam it is 15.1 years.

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Housing affordability in other European countries

It is not only the Czech Republic that is characterized by high housing unaffordability. In other European countries, the situation is also difficult, although less dramatic.

Thus, this is how many years you will have to save your entire salary to buy an apartment in the following countries:

Slovakia - 12.7 

Ireland, Hungary, Israel - 10.2 

Serbia, France - 9.8 

Croatia - 8.3 

Poland - 7.9

Bosnia and Herzegovina - 7.7 

The most affordable housing is in the following countries:

Romania - 5.9 

Italy - 5.3 

Norway - 4.8 

Denmark - 4.7 

Dynamics of housing prices in the EU

Prices for new housing continue to rise in many European countries. The highest growth was recorded in Hungary (by 10.6%) and Norway (by 9.1%). In Poland, the Czech Republic, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, prices also rose by 6-8%.

The most expensive housing in Europe is usually found in Austria, where the average cost per square meter is €4,920, and in Germany - €4,700 per square meter. For comparison, in the Czech Republic this figure is 4112 euros per square meter, and in Poland - 2219 euros per square meter.

Please note! Ukrainian refugees staying in Europe face serious challenges when trying to purchase their own housing. The situation varies considerably from country to country, but in general, housing affordability remains one of the main challenges for new EU residents. If you need help with this or any other migration issues, please contact the Visit Ukraine legal team. Our experts will answer all your questions, help you prepare the necessary documents and solve your immediate problems. Follow the link to order a consultation or full legal support.


Photo: © depositphotos/ilixe48

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Ihor Usyk is the Head of Legal Department at Visit Ukraine

On the Visit Ukraine portal, you can get legal advice on migration law. Our lawyers will answer all your questions and, if necessary, help you collect, submit and receive the documents you need. You can order a specialist consultation or full legal support by following this link.