A 75-square-metre home is out of reach for the average European salary
70% of Europeans cannot buy a 75 m² home with a 30-year mortgage. The gap between wages and prices keeps widening.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
The average salary no longer buys a 75 m² home in much of Europe
The promise that a stable job and an average salary are enough to afford decent housing has been broken. An academic study published in September 2026 concludes that 70% of Europeans live in areas where not even a 30-year mortgage allows them to buy a standard-sized home. The story, by Denisse López in El País, has peine the debate about the housing bubble and the loss of purchasing power.
The data is stark: house prices have grown far above wages for more than a decade. Meanwhile, the strategy of Spanish families of buying to own and pass on has proved a buffer against the crisis, while in northern Europe mass renting leaves tenants in a vulnerable position. Some argue the solution lies in building more and liberalising land; others point to the need to intervene in the market with public housing policies. The reality is that, at current prices, access to ownership is becoming a privilege of the few, and the famous phrase "you will own nothing and be happy" is dangerously close to coming true.
The trend shows no sign of reversing in the short term. If wages do not keep up and prices continue to rise, the gap will widen. The question is whether European governments will have the political will to intervene before housing becomes an unattainable luxury for most.
The promise that a stable job and an average salary are enough to afford decent housing has been broken. An academic study published in September 2026 concludes that 70% of Europeans live in areas where not even a 30-year mortgage allows them to buy a standard-sized home. The story, by Denisse López in El País, has peine the debate about the housing bubble and the loss of purchasing power.
The data is stark: house prices have grown far above wages for more than a decade. Meanwhile, the strategy of Spanish families of buying to own and pass on has proved a buffer against the crisis, while in northern Europe mass renting leaves tenants in a vulnerable position. Some argue the solution lies in building more and liberalising land; others point to the need to intervene in the market with public housing policies. The reality is that, at current prices, access to ownership is becoming a privilege of the few, and the famous phrase "you will own nothing and be happy" is dangerously close to coming true.
The trend shows no sign of reversing in the short term. If wages do not keep up and prices continue to rise, the gap will widen. The question is whether European governments will have the political will to intervene before housing becomes an unattainable luxury for most.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (43 replies).
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