In most Slovak cities, an average worker would not be able to buy even a full-sized room with an entire year’s earnings, according to a study by Bytero. The company compared average salaries and housing prices in 112 cities across the country.
The study, published by Pravda, is based on data from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. Since the agency does not publish precise salary figures for every city, the analysts used average figures for the corresponding district centres.
Across Slovakia, annual gross earnings average around €23,500. At the country’s average property prices, this would be enough to buy approximately 8.1 square metres of apartment space. In Bratislava, where the average monthly salary reaches €2,500, a year’s earnings would buy around 6.8 square metres — an area comparable to a small bathroom.
The Least Affordable Housing Is Near Bratislava
The ranking of cities with the least affordable housing is led by three towns in the Bratislava Region: Svätý Jur, Pezinok and Modra. There, an average annual salary would buy only around six square metres of apartment space.
The reason is a combination of high property prices and relatively modest local incomes. Their proximity to the capital attracts people who work in Bratislava, sustaining demand for housing. However, average monthly salaries in these towns are only slightly above €1,600 — considerably lower than in the capital.
Košice and Liptovský Mikuláš also rank among the cities where housing is difficult to afford. In both, a year’s earnings would buy only around 6.5 square metres of property.
According to the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS), housing prices rose particularly sharply in the Košice Region in 2025. Demand in the region is growing, while construction is struggling to keep pace. A total of 916 apartments were completed there during the whole of 2025, fewer than in any other region of Slovakia.
According to Bytero, buying an apartment in Košice requires more than 12.2 years of average earnings — even more than in Bratislava, where the figure stands at 11.8 years. More than ten years’ earnings are also needed in Žilina and Trenčín. In Prešov and Nitra, the figure is approaching ten years as well.
Where Housing Is Most Affordable
At the other end of the ranking is Čierna nad Tisou, in the Trebišov District of the Košice Region. With average annual earnings of around €19,000, residents could buy approximately 33 square metres of property — roughly the size of a small studio apartment.
Other cities with relatively affordable housing include Tisovec, Hnúšťa and Fiľakovo in the Banská Bystrica Region, as well as Šahy in the Nitra Region.
Overall, in only 16 of the 112 cities surveyed could a worker buy more than 14 square metres of housing with a year’s salary. Most of these cities are also located in the Nitra and Banská Bystrica regions.
