As summer approaches, millions of Europeans are planning their annual break. But for a significant minority, a week away from home remains out of reach. New data for 2025 show that while overall affordability has improved markedly over the past decade, the gains are not shared evenly across the continent.
A decade of progress, with exceptions
In 2025, 27.5% of EU residents aged 16 or older said they could not afford one week of holiday away from home. That is a substantial drop from 35.2% in 2015 – a decline of 7.7 percentage points. The improvement follows a peak in 2012, when 40.5% of EU citizens were in this position, and the rate has hovered around 27–28% since 2019.
However, five countries recorded an increase in the share of people unable to afford a holiday over the same period: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and Austria. The Nordic trio saw the largest percentage-point rises – Norway up 3.8 points, Sweden 3.2, and Finland 1.5 – although they started from very low bases. In Norway, the share rose from 5.3% to 9.1%; in Sweden, from 9.2% to 12.4%. Germany and Austria also bucked the broader trend, with 21% and 20% respectively unable to afford a week away in 2025, up 1.2 and 0.3 points.
These increases stand in contrast to the wider European picture. Croatia and Serbia saw the most dramatic improvements, with the share falling by 33 and 32 percentage points respectively. Cyprus, Ireland, Bulgaria, and Turkey also recorded declines of more than 20 points.
Wide disparities across the continent
The gap between countries remains stark. In Switzerland and Norway, only 9% of the population cannot afford a week-long holiday, while in Romania the figure is 61%. More than half of the population in Montenegro (58%), Albania (53%), and Turkey (51%) also face this constraint, with North Macedonia (48%) and Greece (47%) close behind.
In Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Italy, more than one in three people are unable to afford a holiday. Portugal, Croatia, Spain, Lithuania, Slovakia, Latvia, Cyprus, and Malta all sit below the EU average, with shares between 28% and 33%. At the other end, Luxembourg, Sweden, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, and Slovenia report rates of 15% or less.
Germany and France, the bloc's two largest economies, record 21% and 23% respectively – a reminder that even wealthy nations have pockets of holiday deprivation.
Income and economic strength matter
Experts point to income levels as the primary driver. Professor C. Michael Hall from Canterbury University noted that disposable income is crucial, as it allows people to spend on leisure travel. “Disparities with holiday taking and expenditure reflect some of the broader economic disparities within the EU,” he said.
Professor Lynn Minnaert from Metropolitan State University of Denver added that differences between countries typically mirror the strength of their economies. Nations with higher holiday deprivation tend to have lower GDPs, a pattern visible when comparing the data with average net earnings for single workers.
The regional divide is clear: southern and southeastern Europe, including EU candidate countries, have the highest levels of holiday deprivation, while northern and western Europe – particularly the Nordics – enjoy the lowest. Central and eastern Europe fall in between, with considerable variation from country to country.
For those planning a break, the rise of solo travel offers new options, but affordability remains a barrier for many. As the data show, a week by the sea or in the mountains is still a luxury that millions of Europeans cannot afford.
