Maltese among youngest in Europe to buy their first home

The average age of a first-time home buyer in Malta stands at 28 years, which is the lowest out of 23 European nations according to a chart published by Euronews.

In a post on social media, Executive Head of Policy at the Housing Authority Brian Micallef highlighted this statistic, and said that while this is slightly lower than the internal data the Malta Housing Authority has, “it still points to an important reality: Malta remains among the countries in the EU where young adults are able to access homeownership at a relatively early age and get onto the property ladder sooner than in many other European countries.”

According to the data, Switzerland and Greece had the highest average age at first home purchase – both at 34.7 years.

The data was provided to Euronews by RE/MAX, and are based on the company's 2025 European Housing Trend Report. The data in the report emerges from a pan-European consumer study conducted in August 2025, surveying more than 21,000 adults (18+) across the 23 countries, with results weighted to be nationally representative in each market.

Regarding Malta, the report highlights that family dependency has become pivotal in the country.

Among current home owners, 73 per cent had some family help in purchasing their first home (Europe: 59 per cent), the report highlights.

“And it’s not just with financial contributions that families help: more adults (17 per cent) live with their parents (Europe: 12 per cent) and two in five are doing so to save money (41 per cent),” the report explains.

But despite the affordability challenges, Malta still produces earlier first-time buyers than the rest of the continent.

“There is also an optimistic outlook for those not yet on the ladder - almost a quarter (23 per cent) believe they will be able to purchase property in the next five years, proving that while affordability may be a hurdle for entering the housing market, it’s not a barrier,” it reads.

Over half would consider leaving Malta for higher quality of life

The report also finds that more than half of adults (52 per cent) in Malta would consider leaving the country for a higher quality of life, a percentage that is far higher than the average of 31 per cent.

“This intent is already translating into action: over a third (39 per cent) are actively planning this move, or have seriously considered it in the past two years. Among those weighing a move, the defining push is affordability: 52 per cent of those cite their reasoning for wanting to move as lower living costs or more affordable housing, ahead of a higher quality-of-life (44 per cent) or better career prospects (29 per cent).”

The report notes that household finances have been the driving factor behind the growing affordability challenges in Malta.

It found that residents’ satisfaction with housing has fallen to 71 per cent, which lower than the 75 per cent registered last year. It is also lower than the European average of 77 per cent.

It attributes bills as likely playing a role in dissatisfaction, finding that only 34 per cent of Maltese feel comfortable with housing costs, and 40 percent with energy costs.

It identifies the challenges of daily budgeting, explaining that Maltese residents on average spend around 36 per cent of their monthly salary on housing costs, “with one in five (21 per cent) finding that over 50 per cent of their income is spent each month.”

The RE/MAX survey had also found that almost half of Europeans who do not own their home say they are either unable or unwilling to buy one. In Malta, the picture is similarly stark.