Greece continues to rank at the top of Europe regarding delayed departure of young people from the family home, while housing cost burden indicators are setting negative records. According to Eurostat data for 2024, Greek youth leave their parents’ home at an average age of 30.7 years, placing the country in the same category as Croatia (31.3), Slovakia (30.9), Italy (30.1), and Spain (30.0), while in Scandinavian countries independence comes much earlier, with an average of 21.4 years in Finland, 21.7 in Denmark, and 21.9 in Sweden.
Read: Inflation at 3.1% in Greece, 2.1% in the Eurozone
Youth independence in Greece, the most expensive in Europe
The delayed independence in Greece is directly linked to the unbearable cost of housing. Data shows that 30.3% of young people aged 15-29 live in households that spend more than 40% of their disposable income solely on housing.
Our country leads Europe, surpassing even Denmark (28.9%) and far above the European average (9.7%).
In contrast, countries like Croatia (2.1%), Cyprus (2.8%), and Slovenia (3.0%) record the lowest burden rates.
The Greek double paradox
The phenomenon in Greece is twofold: young people stay longer with their parents, but when they finally leave, they face extreme housing costs. This presents a contradiction compared to other countries: where young people leave early (e.g., Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden), housing costs are also high; while where they delay leaving (e.g., Cyprus, Croatia), costs are lower.
In Greece, the combination of high rental prices, low wages, and limited social policies leads to one of the tightest economic environments for young people in Europe.
