A residence priced at one million euros might represent a standard apartment in central Paris or an upscale villa outside Sofia. Regardless of location, purchasers require earnings well above the typical national level to secure such a property.

What earnings level would be necessary?

Euronews Business determined the required salary via a standard loan model: 20 percent down payment, fixed 3.5 percent interest and 30 year term. The model also limited mortgage costs to no more than 33 percent of gross earnings.

This setup calls for a 200000 euro down payment and an 800000 euro loan.

The model excludes property taxes, insurance, closing costs and other charges, while real loan terms differ by nation and borrower profile.

Monthly repayment totals nearly 3600 euros

Under these conditions the yearly loan cost reaches 43108 euros or 3592 euros each month.

With 33 percent of gross earnings allocated to payments, the required annual gross income equals 130631 euros or 10886 euros monthly.

Pay levels vary sharply across Europe so reaching this income proves easier in certain nations. The load also differs inside each country.

Figures rely on Eurostat 2025 gross earnings data for a full time single worker without children at 100 percent of average wage. Because dual incomes improve access and couples often seek such homes the analysis also shows results for pairs where both earn the average wage.

Residents of Bulgaria require almost eight times average pay

The count of average wages needed to cover a million euro home differs greatly across Europe. Inside the EU the spread between lowest and highest values reaches nearly five times.

Typical workers in Bulgaria face the toughest situation while those in Luxembourg stand closest to affording the loan. In Bulgaria a single person without children at 100 percent of average wage would need income equal to 7.8 average salaries. In Luxembourg the figure stays under two at 1.6.

The count ranges from two to three in Denmark at 2.1, Ireland at 2.3, Belgium at 2.4, Austria at 2.5, the Netherlands at 2.6, Germany at 2.7, Finland at 2.8 and Sweden at 2.8.

Workers in these nations stand nearest to affording a million euro residence.

Among the EU Big Four economies Germany holds the strongest spot at 2.7 average salaries versus 3.1 in France, 4.0 in Spain and 4.1 in Italy.

The number remains under four in Slovenia at 3.7 and Malta at 3.9.

Ten EU nations require over five salaries

Securing a million euro home would demand income equal to more than five average salaries in ten EU countries. Greece at 7.2 follows Bulgaria at 7.8 and holds the second highest need in the EU.

Hungary at 6.7, Slovakia at 6.3 and Poland at 5.8 round out the top five.

Romania at 5.8, Latvia at 5.7, Czechia at 5.2, Portugal at 5.2 and Croatia at 5.2 also exceed five average salaries. Estonia reaches exactly 5.0 bringing the total to eleven nations needing five salaries or more.

Two average earners qualify solely in Luxembourg

For a couple where both earn the average wage the affordability ratio halves because the model uses combined income. In Luxembourg the needed income equals 0.8 times the pair combined gross earnings so two average earners would stay inside the 33 percent mortgage limit.

Denmark follows closely with a ratio of 1.05 times a two earner couple combined pay. Ireland and Belgium both show a ratio near 1.2 so even combined average salaries would fall short. Under the model assumptions Luxembourg remains the sole EU country where two average earners meet the affordability test.

In Bulgaria a couple on average salaries would still require income equal to nearly four times their combined earnings leaving the home very hard to obtain.

What are the average salaries?

Average annual gross earnings differ widely across Europe per 2025 Eurostat data. For a single person without children average gross monthly pay obtained by dividing the annual total by 12 ranges from 1398 euros in Bulgaria to 6713 euros in Luxembourg.

Average gross monthly earnings also top 4000 euros in Denmark at 5300 euros, Ireland at 4708 euros, Belgium at 4630 euros, Austria at 4306 euros and the Netherlands at 4167 euros.

By contrast average pay stays below 2000 euros in seven countries. This level falls far short of the 3592 euro monthly mortgage. Besides Bulgaria the group includes Greece at 1510 euros, Hungary at 1625 euros, Slovakia at 1734 euros, Poland at 1862 euros, Romania at 1885 euros and Latvia at 1904 euros.

Difference between salary and mortgage

Because the model limits mortgage costs to 33 percent of pay one average salary proves insufficient in every EU country for a single person.

In Bulgaria the shortfall reaches 3131 euros representing the gap between the 3592 euro mortgage and 461 euros or 33 percent of pay.

In Luxembourg the gap equals 1377 euros since 33 percent of gross pay totals 2215 euros.