Croatia leads EU in rental price surge

Croatia experienced the most significant surge in housing rental prices within the European Union during the first quarter of 2026. Data from Eurostat reveals that rental costs in Croatia were 21.9% higher than the 2025 average. This marks a dramatic increase from previous periods, with rents growing month-on-month since August 2025. By the first quarter of 2026, rents were nearly 40% higher than the same period in the previous year.

Following Croatia, Bulgaria saw a 6.4% increase, and Greece experienced a 5% rise in rental prices compared to the 2025 average. These figures are calculated based on "actual rent payments," a component of the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) used for inflation calculations across the EU.

Across the EU, average rental prices increased by 1.8% in the first quarter compared to the 2025 average. Slovenia was the only country to record a decrease, with rents falling by 0.9%. Finland's rents remained stable compared to the previous year's average.

The data further indicates that the upward trend in Croatia continued into April and May, with year-on-year increases of 39.5% and 40% respectively. Only Romania reported a higher annual increase in May, at 43.6%.