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 movement across the bloc. Eurostat also reported that house prices rose 1.2% from the first quarter, while rents went up 0.7%. These figures indicate that housing costs kept climbing throughout much of the EU during this period.
In the euro area, housing price growth was slower than in the broader EU, with prices climbing 4.0% year-over-year and 1.1% compared to the previous quarter. The annual increase also decelerated from 4.6% in the first quarter of 2026. Overall, EU-wide annual house price growth eased from 5.1% in the first quarter to 4.7% in the second.
Data from individual countries showed widespread annual gains, though the extent of price changes varied significantly among member states. Out of those with available figures, 23 countries experienced increases in house prices, while three saw declines. Portugal registered the highest rise at 16.5%, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5%, and Lithuania at 14.3%. Conversely, prices declined by 2.7% in Finland, 2.2% in Luxembourg, and 0.8% in France.
Widespread quarterly increases in EU housing markets
During April to June, most EU nations saw rising housing prices, with 24 countries recording increases in available data and only two showing declines. Lithuania experienced the strongest quarterly growth at 5.0%, followed by Bulgaria at 4.5%, and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary faced a 1.4% decrease, and in France, house prices fell by 0.8% from the previous quarter.
A comparison with the 2025 annual average also confirmed that housing prices and rents continued to rise in the EU. House prices were 4.1% higher in the second quarter of 2026, and rents increased by 2.6%. Bulgaria led in house price growth on this basis at 14.3%, followed by Portugal at 14.2% and Lithuania at 12.8%. Finland and France saw declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively.
Rents Surge Across All EU Nations
When comparing the second quarter with the 2025 annual average, rent prices rose in every EU country. Romania experienced the largest increase at 41.2%, with Croatia at 22.1% and Slovenia at 10.2%. Estonia and Finland had the smallest gains at 0.1% each, while rents in Luxembourg increased by 1.2%. These figures demonstrate significant variation in rental market movements across different countries.
Eurostat tracks residential property price changes using the House Price Index, which includes new and existing homes purchased by households—covering flats, detached, and terraced houses, regardless of ownership or final purpose. EU house prices have seen consecutive quarterly growth since the first quarter of 2024. The next report, covering the third quarter of 2026, is scheduled for release on January 11, 2027.