ADVERTISEMENTAccording to a 2023 NASUWT survey, housing issues significantly impact British teachers’ career continuation, with 57% of those wishing to buy a home doubting their ability to do so on their teacher’s salary. Euronews has compared teacher salaries and housing prices across Europe to determine the number of months’ salary required to purchase a home in 2023.
The research was based on the statutory salaries for lower secondary teachers and did not account for mortgage interest rates. Ireland emerges as the most affordable for teachers, with a home costing the equivalent of a teacher’s 106 times their salary. In addition to Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Belgium are also affordable for teachers, requiring 120 months or less of salary. The analysis further revealed a stark disparity in housing affordability across Europe, with Hungary, Slovakia, and Czechia found to be the most challenging places for teachers to purchase homes, each requiring over 30 years’ worth of salary. The trends indicate a divide between Eastern and Western Europe, as well as a North-South contrast, with Northern and Northwestern countries offering easier housing affordability for teachers. The study also highlights that while housing costs are a prevalent issue, teacher salaries play a crucial factor in affordability, with countries offering higher salaries mitigating the cost of living. As the survey reveals, UK teachers face significant barriers to home ownership, with many needing substantial parental support for deposits. Meanwhile, the EU is contending with teacher shortages across at least 24 countries, attributed to low wages and heavy workloads, as teacher real wages have fallen in many European countries over the past years. The methodology employed OECD’s 2023 data and local net salary calculators, alongside Numbeo data for property prices, without accounting for mortgage rates and other personal factors. This analysis serves to illuminate the varying degrees of housing affordability challenges faced by teachers across Europe.
