LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – European Union house prices rose 4.7% in the second quarter of 2026 from a year earlier. Rents increased 3.0% over the same period, extending their upward movement across the bloc. Eurostat reported that house prices also gained 1.2% from the first quarter, while rents rose 0.7%. The figures show housing costs continued to increase across much of the EU during the quarter.
The euro area recorded slower house price growth than the wider EU in the second quarter. Prices increased 4.0% from a year earlier and 1.1% from the previous quarter. Annual growth also eased from the first quarter of 2026, when prices rose 4.6% in the euro area. EU annual house price growth slowed from 5.1% in the first quarter to 4.7% in the second.
Country data showed broad annual gains, although price movements varied sharply across member states. Among countries with available figures, 23 recorded annual house price increases and three reported declines. Portugal posted the largest rise at 16.5%, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Prices fell 2.7% in Finland, 2.2% in Luxembourg and 0.8% in France.
Quarterly gains remain widespread across EU housing markets
Quarterly data also showed rising prices across most EU countries during the April-to-June period. Prices increased in 24 member states with available data and declined in only two. Lithuania recorded the strongest quarterly rise at 5.0%, followed by Bulgaria at 4.5% and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary registered a 1.4% decline, while house prices in France fell 0.8% from the previous quarter.
A separate comparison with the 2025 annual average also showed continued increases in EU housing costs. House prices stood 4.1% higher in the second quarter of 2026, while rents were 2.6% higher. Bulgaria led house price growth on this measure at 14.3%, followed by Portugal at 14.2% and Lithuania at 12.8%. Finland and France recorded declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively.
Rent increases extend across every EU member state
Rents increased in every EU country when the second quarter was compared with the 2025 annual average. Romania recorded the largest increase at 41.2%, followed by 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 1.2%. The figures highlight a wide range of rental price movements across national housing markets.
Eurostat uses the House Price Index to track price changes for residential properties bought by households, including new and existing homes. The index covers flats, detached houses and terraced properties, regardless of their previous owners or final use. EU house prices have posted consecutive quarterly increases since the first quarter of 2024. The next scheduled release, covering the third quarter of 2026, is set for January 11, 2027.