Rising living costs and rents fuel discontent across Europe
High housing costs and expensive essentials are testing the living standards of residents in several European nations.
France is bracing for protests on Saturday, with 70,000 police and gendarmes mobilised to prevent unrest. Authorities have tightened security and boarded up shops amid fears of violence.
A Deutsche Bank Research Institute report shows a significant gap between local earnings and city-centre rents. In Lisbon, two earners sharing a three-bedroom apartment are left with €253 after rent, while in Milan, the amount is €697.
In contrast, a working couple in Zurich is left with €9,140 after rent, and €8,783 remains in Geneva. Zurich recorded the highest rent at €5,502, but also the highest average net salary of €7,321 per person.
Eurostat data indicates that EU households spent an average of 19 per cent of disposable income on housing in 2024. In Greece, this figure reached 36 per cent.
Between 2010 and 2024, house prices across the EU increased by 53 per cent, while rents rose 25 per cent. During the same period, general consumer prices increased by 39 per cent.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 13.1 per cent of total EU household expenditure in 2024. This share was 18.1 per cent in Portugal and 15.7 per cent in Greece.