How Much Does It Cost to Rent a 1-Bedroom Apartment in Europe? Comparison of 38 European Cities

Rent prices for 1-bedroom apartments in Europe vary significantly. Monthly rent without additional fees ranges from 186 to 2139 euros. The British Isles are the most expensive, while the Balkans are the cheapest. Cost depends not only on the city but also on the apartment's location within the city.

An analysis prepared by rankomat.pl focuses on average monthly rent for 1-bedroom apartments in 38 European capitals. The prices are taken from numbeo.com and include both city center and out-of-center apartments. Additional expenses (water, electricity, internet) are not included in the rankings and prices are shown in euros for convenience.

The most expensive 1-bedroom apartments in city centers can be found in London and Dublin.

A one-person apartment in the center of a European capital costs most on the British Isles. In London, this is a monthly rent of 2139 euros, and in Dublin — slightly less at 1893 euros.

Also expensive in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Reykjavik; however, monthly rent here is about 1500 euros without utility payments.

We will spend the least on renting a 1-bedroom apartment in the center of one of the Balkan states, although they are not always popular among people looking for a new place to live: Sarajevo, Pristina, and Skopje. Prices here range from 273 to 293 euros per month. In Chisinau, you can pay less than 300 euros for a monthly rent of a 1-bedroom apartment.

Monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment — in the city center

London 
2139 euros

Dublin 
1893 euros

Amsterdam 
1688 euros

Copenhagen
1599 euros

Reykjavik
1478 euros

Oslo
1400 euros

Stockholm
1358 euros

Paris
1326 euros

Berlin
1234 euros

Berne
1231 euros

Moscow
1138 euros

Rome
1059 euros

Lisbon
1036 euros

Madrid
1020 euros

Helsinki
1016 euros

Vienna
931 euros

Brussels
922 euros

Prague
885 euros

Warsaw
734 euros

Vilnius
703 euros

Ljubljana
664 euros

Tallinn
655 euros

Bratislava
637 euros

Zagreb
547 euros

Athens
495 euros

Belgrade
483 euros

Kiev
464 euros

Bucharest
448 euros

Budapest
442 euros

Riga
442 euros

Sofia
415 euros

Tirana
397 euros

Minsk
396 euros

Podgorica
343 euros

Chisinau
298 euros

Pristina 
293 euros

Sarajevo 
275 euros

Skopje 
273 euros

Average monthly rent without utilities.
Prices as of September 13, 2022 from numbeo.com.

Rent for a 1-Bedroom Apartment Outside the City Center is Almost Twice as Cheap

Among 38 European capitals, rent for a 1-bedroom apartment outside the city center is most expensive in the British Isles and cheapest on the Balkans.

This time, however, the most expensive is Dublin (1603 euros), and the cheapest is Sarajevo (186 euros).

Comparing the percentage difference between rent prices for 1-bedroom apartments inside and outside the city center, it is found that off-center rents are cheaper by 15% in Dublin but by a full 31% in Sarajevo. In Moscow, the difference is 42%.

Monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment — outside the city center

Dublin 
1603 euros

London 
1551 euros

Amsterdam 
1405 euros

Reykjavik
1216 euros

Copenhagen
1192 euros

Oslo
1127 euros

Stockholm
1023 euros

Paris
967 euros

Berne
959 euros

Berlin
911 euros

Helsinki
802 euros

Lisbon
778 euros

Brussels
773 euros

Madrid
766 euros

Rome
712 euros

Vienna
677 euros

Moscow
652 euros

Prague
639 euros

Warsaw
547 euros

Ljubljana
535 euros

Bratislava
490 euros

Vilnius
486 euros

Tallinn
473 euros

Athens
431 euros

Zagreb
391 euros

Budapest
352 euros

Riga
327 euros

Bucharest
321 euros

Belgrade
316 euros

Sofia
313 euros

Kiev
290 euros

Minsk
286 euros

Podgorica
246 euros

Tirana
239 euros

Chisinau
224 euros

Pristina 
216 euros

Skopje 
188 euros

Sarajevo 
186 euros

Average monthly rent without utilities.
Prices as of September 13, 2022 from numbeo.com.

How Fast Are Rent Prices Rising? Example from Poland

In Poland, the highest rent prices for 1-bedroom apartments are not in Warsaw. The most expensive 1-bedroom apartments can be found on the coast, in Gdansk, where average cost is 2577 Polish zlotys. In Warsaw — 2551 euros, and in Wroclaw — 2371 euros per month.

Price differences for renting a 1-bedroom apartment in major Polish cities are significant. In Bydgoszcz, which is the cheapest in the ranking, rent now costs 1480 Polish zlotys a month — more than 1000 zlotys less than in Gdansk.

Today, rent prices for 1-bedroom apartments are up by 40% compared to last year. This increase is observed in Gdansk, Krakow, and Wroclaw. The lowest annual growth — in Szczecin (+22.7%) and Ljubljana (25.2%).

"Such a significant change in apartment rental prices can be explained by several factors. One reason for rising prices is the war between Russia and Ukraine. The influx of refugees has increased demand for apartments; additionally, inflation is raising prices in many economic sectors," — says Michał Ratachak, an expert from rankomat.pl.

Rent prices for 1-bedroom apartments in major Polish cities

City
July 2022
June 2021
Percentage Change

Gdansk
2577 zlotys
1793 zlotys
+43.7

Warsaw
2551 euros
1941 euros
+31.4

Wroclaw
2371 euros
1684 euros
+40.8

Krakow
2139 euros
1515 euros
+41.1

Szczecin
1946 zlotys
1585 zlotys
+22.7

Ljubljana
1864 zlotys
1489 zlotys
+25.2

Poznan
1775 zlotys
1332 zlotys
+33.2

Lodz
1677 zlotys
1227 zlotys
+36.7

Katowice
1577 zlotys
1203 zlotys
+31.1

Bydgoszcz
1480 zlotys
1223 zlotys
+31.7

Average apartment rent offers up to 38 sqm based on bankier.pl.

It's Better to Insure a 1-Bedroom Apartment for Rent with 2 Policies

Subletting an apartment to others is a way for many owners to secure a steady income source. For tenants, such a decision means living without mortgage obligations to the bank. The downside is that monthly rent often exceeds mortgage payments; the advantage — mobility and freedom of choosing a place to live based on work and other factors.

Both landlord and tenant should remember that careless handling of property can easily lead to financial difficulties in case of fire, flooding, or theft.

The solution is home insurance, or even better — two policies. The tenant or landlord should insure the walls and fixed elements of a 1-bedroom apartment against accidental incidents. If the apartment is on the first floor, it’s also necessary to insure against flooding; if higher up, a good idea is to get liability insurance for neighbors below in case of flooding.

The tenant should first insure their personal belongings (electronic devices, valuable items, sports equipment) against accidents and thefts. By using two separate insurance policies with properly selected coverage amounts, you can avoid misunderstandings in case of any loss. The owner need not worry about property, and the tenant protects their items. Each insurance policy costs around 100 zlotys per year.