LUXEMBOURG / RankWire.AI / – In the second quarter of 2026, European Union house prices grew by 4.7% compared to the previous year. During the same period, rents rose by 3.0%, according to Eurostat. When comparing to the first quarter, housing prices increased by 1.2%, and rents went up by 0.7%. The latest data indicates ongoing upward trends in both ownership and rental costs across the bloc from April through June.
The euro area also saw a rise in residential property values during this period, with house prices climbing 4.0% from the second quarter of 2025 and gaining 1.1% from the previous quarter. Year-over-year growth in the eurozone slowed slightly from 4.6% in the first quarter. Across the broader EU, annual house price growth decreased from 5.1% in the first quarter to 4.7% in the second.
Most EU nations reported higher house prices compared to the previous year. Of those with available data, 23 countries experienced increases, while three saw declines. Portugal led the surge with a 16.5% increase, followed by Bulgaria at 15.5% and Lithuania at 14.3%. Finland recorded the largest decline at 2.7%. Additionally, prices dropped 2.2% in Luxembourg and 0.8% in France during the annual comparison.
Most EU markets report quarterly house price growth
Quarterly changes also show widespread price rises across national housing markets. House prices increased in 24 EU countries with available data, with only two experiencing declines. Lithuania experienced the strongest quarterly growth at 5.0%, followed by Bulgaria at 4.5% and Romania at 4.4%. Hungary saw a 1.4% decrease from the first quarter, and France was the only other country with a quarterly decline, with prices down 0.8%.
A further comparison against the average prices throughout 2025 revealed that EU house prices were 4.1% higher in Q2, while rents increased by 2.6%. Bulgaria led the price gains at 14.3%, with Portugal close behind at 14.2%. Lithuania experienced a 12.8% rise, whereas Finland and France recorded declines of 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, under this measure.
Rental expenses expand across all member states
Compared to the 2025 annual average, rental prices increased in every EU country. Romania saw the largest rise at 41.2%, with Croatia following at 22.1%. Slovenia experienced a 10.2% increase, while Estonia and Finland had the smallest growth at 0.1%. Rents in Luxembourg went up by 1.2%, highlighting the significant variation in rental cost changes across national housing markets within the bloc.
Eurostat’s House Price Index monitors residential property values, including new and existing homes purchased by households. This index covers flats, detached homes, and terraced properties, regardless of previous ownership or intended use. Since the first quarter of 2024, EU house prices have consistently recorded quarterly gains. The upcoming release will present data for the third quarter of 2026, scheduled for January 11, 2027.