One way to assess housing affordability is by looking at the proportion of housing costs to total disposable income, as reported by Eurostat.

On average, in the EU in 2022, 19.6% of disposable income was dedicated to housing costs. This varied among member states, with the highest proportions in Greece (34.2%), Denmark (25.4%), and Germany (24.5%).

For those with a disposable income below 60% of the national median income, individuals who could be considered at risk of poverty, the proportion of housing costs to disposable income averaged 37.9% in the EU. On the other hand, for those with a disposable income above 60% of the median income, the proportion was 16.0%.

The proportion of people living in households with arrears on mortgage, rent, or utilities is another indicator that housing costs may be too high.

Despite the fact that housing prices and rents have increased from 2010 to 2022, the proportion of people living in households with arrears on mortgage, rent, or utilities in the EU decreased from 12.4% in 2010 to 9.2% in 2022. The proportions decreased in 22 member states and increased in 5. In 2022, the highest proportions were observed in Greece (45.5%), Bulgaria (19.9%), Romania (18.4%), and Croatia (15.7%), while the lowest were in the Czech Republic (2.7%), the Netherlands (2.9%), Belgium (4.2%), and Austria (4.7%).