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'Swedish housing costs among highest in EU'

TT/The Local
TT/The Local - [email protected]
'Swedish housing costs among highest in EU'

Swedish housing costs are among the highest across the EU countries. Only the Danes pay more for their homes, according to a new report from the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket).

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The average Swede spends 26.9 percent of his or her total expenditure on housing, while a Dane shells out 27 percent and a Slovak 25.9 percent. The EU average is 22 percent.

The countries with the lowest housing costs, relative to total expenditure, are Lithuania, Cyprus and Malta.

Sweden is also near the top with regards to total actual housing costs, in seventh place of the EU's 27 member states, spending an average of €4,300 ($5,900) per annum on housing.

The figure is particularly high considering that Swedes earn fairly modest net incomes in comparison with many other EU countries, and are far behind countries such as the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and neighbouring Denmark.

The figures showing that Swedes pay such a high price for their homes is explained by the researchers by the fact the standard is generally higher, homes are larger, and housing density is lower.

The average living space for a Swede amounts to 44.5 square metres, with only Luxembourgers and Danes enjoying more space to call home.

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