A new analysis by Euronews shows just how difficult it has become for teachers across Europe to purchase a home — and how affordability varies dramatically from country to country. Using OECD and Numbeo data, the study calculated how many months’ salary a lower secondary teacher would need to buy a 100 m² home, based on statutory wages and average property prices in 2023.
The findings reveal significant regional disparities — and highlight why housing is becoming a growing factor in whether teachers stay in the profession.
Housing costs are playing a decisive role in teacher retention in the UK, according to a 2023 survey by the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT). “More than half (57%) of teachers who wish to buy a home do not think this will be achievable on a teachers’ salary.”
So, how realistic is homeownership for Europe’s educators?
Among 24 European countries, Ireland emerged as the most affordable for teachers. There, a 100 m² property would cost the equivalent of 106 months of a teacher’s salary. Teachers in Spain (112 months), the Netherlands (114 months), and Belgium (Flemish Community, 120 months) also fare relatively well, needing the equivalent of 10 years or less in salary to buy a home.
Denmark isn’t far behind, at 126 months. In Luxembourg (145), Germany (157), Portugal (162), and England (175), the cost is still under 15 years’ worth of income.
In most of the remaining countries, teachers would need between 15 and 20 years of earnings to purchase a home. But the least affordable nations paint a much bleaker picture.
In Italy, the number jumps to 191 months. Teachers in Norway would need 192 months, and in Austria, 203. In France, the cost of a 100 m² home is equivalent to 230 months — nearly 20 years of salary.
Hungary stands as the least affordable country for teachers. There, a teacher would need 443 months of income — over 35 years’ worth — to purchase a comparable home. Slovakia (398 months) and Czechia (383 months) are also near the bottom of the list.
Two key trends emerge from the data: a strong East-West divide and a North-South contrast. Teachers in Northern and Northwestern Europe are generally in a better position to afford housing, thanks to higher salaries and better purchasing power.
Affordability isn’t only about housing costs, the report notes — it’s also tied to how much teachers earn. In high-cost countries like the Netherlands, competitive teacher salaries help keep the dream of homeownership alive.
For instance, a 100 m² home in the Netherlands costs around €495,411, but with an average gross monthly salary of €6,425, teachers can still manage to buy a property within about 114 months. By contrast, in Hungary, homes are comparatively cheaper at €284,637, but with an average teacher salary of just €967 a month, affordability remains out of reach.
This housing challenge is closely linked to the broader teacher shortage crisis across Europe. The EU’s Education and Training Monitor 2023 revealed that at least 24 EU countries are currently experiencing shortages — with low pay and heavy workloads being major contributing factors.
Teacher compensation is also failing to keep up with inflation in many areas. According to the OECD, real statutory salaries for lower secondary teachers decreased in 10 of the 22 countries studied between 2015 and 2023.
According to the NASUWT survey, housing pressures are directly shaping career decisions. “Four in ten teachers (42%) said housing costs have influenced where they have applied for a teaching post.” Furthermore, “Almost three quarters (72%) don’t believe there is sufficient affordable housing for teachers where they live.”
As teacher pay stagnates and housing costs climb, more educators across Europe are finding themselves priced out of the housing market — and possibly the profession itself.
