EU capital rents outpace minimum wages, study finds
A new ETUC analysis shows that in most EU capitals, average rents for a two-bedroom flat exceed the gross minimum wage, creating a heavy financial strain for low-paid workers.
An analysis by the European Trade Union Confederation, based on EU statistics, reveals that average rents for two-bedroom apartments in most European Union capitals surpass the gross minimum wage. Prague tops the list, where rent reaches 185% of the minimum wage, followed by Lisbon at 168% and several other capitals above 150%. Only a handful of cities, including Brussels and Berlin, keep rent below the wage threshold, at 70% and 76% respectively.
Country-wide figures show the rent share of the minimum wage varies from 33% in Poland to 61% in Malta. The report highlights that housing and utilities already consume 23.6% of household spending across the EU. In response, the ETUC calls for stronger collective bargaining, inclusion of housing costs when setting minimum wages, and increased funding for social housing.
Why it matters
Rising rents outpacing minimum wages threaten affordable living for low-income workers across Europe.
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