In several European capitals, those earning the gross minimum wage do not earn enough to pay the average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment. The analysis by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), cited by the international news agency and based on European data, shows that the problem is particularly serious in this Portuguese city, where the average income far exceeds the monthly minimum wage.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels remain the largest share of household spending in the European Union (EU). According to , these charges represented 23.6% of the total expenditure of EU households in 2024, ahead of food and transport, which helps to explain why rising rents have such a strong impact on lower incomes.
Portuguese city among the most difficult capitals for those who earn the minimum
Prague appears as the capital where the pressure is greatest: the average rent for a T2 is 1,710 euros, while the gross monthly minimum wage in the Czech Republic is 924 euros. This means that the rent is equivalent to 185% of the minimum wage, forcing a worker to need almost two gross minimum wages to support just the rent.
The Portuguese city of Lisbon appears next, with an average rent also of 1,710 euros, compared to a gross monthly minimum wage equivalent to 1,073 euros in Portugal, taking into account payment over 14 months. In practice, the income corresponds to 168% of the gross minimum wage, placing the Portuguese capital among the most inaccessible in the EU for those at the bottom of the salary scale, says the same source.
Other capitals where income exceeds the entire minimum wage
The list of capitals where rent consumes more than 150% of the minimum wage also includes Budapest, with 159%, Bratislava, with 158%, Sofia, with 154%, Athens, with 153%, and Riga, with 151%. In these cases, even handing over the entire gross salary to the landlord, the worker would still not be able to pay the average rent for a T2.
There are also several capitals where income exceeds 100% of the gross minimum wage, although to a lesser extent. This is the case in Valletta, Paris, Tallinn, Madrid, Bucharest, Warsaw, Dublin, Ljubljana and Vilnius, which means that the minimum wage is not enough to cover the average rent, even before taking into account food, transport, energy or healthcare.
Brussels and Berlin are among the most favorable cases
At the opposite extreme, according to the same source, Brussels is presented as the most favorable capital for those receiving the minimum wage, among the countries analyzed. The average rent for a T2 is 1,476 euros, while the gross minimum wage is 2,112 euros, making the rent represent around 70% of this income.
Berlin comes in second place among the most accessible capitals for minimum wage workers, with income representing 76% of the gross minimum wage. Nicosia follows, with 85%, Luxembourg, with 87%, and The Hague, with 96%, values that are still high, but lower than those recorded in capitals where income completely exceeds salary.
Outside the capitals, the scenario improves
The national comparison shows a less burdensome reality than in the capitals. In a subset of 16 countries analyzed by ETUC, the percentage of the gross minimum wage needed to pay rent varies between 33% in Poland and 61% in Malta, confirming that capital cities concentrate the greatest pressure on low income earners.
In Poland, for example, the gross minimum wage is 1,139 euros and the national average income is 376 euros. In France, the difference is also significant when comparing the national average with Paris: the minimum wage is 1,823 euros and the national average income is 695 euros, well below the 2,523 euros recorded in the French capital, according to Euronews.
Unions call for more adequate wages and more public housing
ETUC argues that Member States must fully implement the European directive on adequate minimum wages, promote collective bargaining and start considering housing costs when assessing whether the minimum wage is sufficient. ETUC calls for even more public investment in social housing, including through European financing instruments.
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