Poles are relatively unlikely to spend more than 40% of disposable income on housing, but the low cost burden has another side. Poland has an average of just 1.2 rooms per person, compared with 1.7 across the European Union, and roughly 31% of residents live in homes classified by Eurostat as overcrowded. Low current housing costs therefore do not necessarily translate into comfortable living conditions.
According to Eurostat data cited by RynekPierwotny.pl, 4.1% of Poland’s population lives in households where total housing costs exceed 40% of disposable income. Only Cyprus, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia record lower shares in the EU. The equivalent figure is 6.4% in France, 11.2% in Germany and 23.4% in Denmark.
Housing costs put less pressure on Polish household budgets
One important reason is Poland’s ownership structure. Eurostat data show that 75% of Poles live in owner-occupied homes without a mortgage, the fourth-highest share in the EU. For many households, the absence of a monthly mortgage payment substantially reduces current housing costs.
That does not mean housing is cheap for people trying to enter the market. Gabriela Prygiel of RynekPierwotny.pl notes that the housing-cost overburden indicator measures ongoing household expenditure rather than the cost of buying a home. New-home prices in Poland rose by about 88% over seven years, comparing the first quarter of 2026 with the first quarter of 2019.
Home ownership dominates over renting
Poland also stands out for its high ownership rate. The data show that 87% of Poles live in owner-occupied homes and 13% rent. In Germany, the split is close to 50:50, illustrating how different Poland’s housing model remains from parts of Western Europe.
The preference for ownership has historical and social roots, including post-communist privatisation of parts of the cooperative and municipal housing stock and the widespread perception of renting as a temporary solution. Buying a home remains a central goal for many households, which in turn limits the scale of institutional renting and increases pressure on the purchase market.
51% of young adults still live with their parents
A high barrier to home ownership, combined with renting’s weaker role as a long-term option, contributes to later independence among young people. In Poland, 51% of people aged 25–34 live with their parents. Only Croatia, Greece and Slovakia have higher shares.
The average age of leaving the parental home in Poland is around 27. For some young adults, staying with family is a way to limit expenses while building a deposit or improving mortgage eligibility.
Only 1.2 rooms per person
The clearest cost of Poland’s housing model is limited space. There are 1.2 rooms per person in Poland, compared with an EU average of 1.7. Around 31% of Poles live in housing classified by Eurostat as overcrowded, compared with roughly 17% across the EU.
In practice, part of the housing cost is therefore paid not directly in money but through less space per resident, later household formation and a greater likelihood of several adults sharing one home. The data show why current housing expenditure alone does not provide a complete picture of living conditions.
Source: Eurostat data and analysis by BIG DATA RynekPierwotny.pl.
