Eurostat: Over a quarter of EU residents could not afford a one‑week holiday in 2025
27.5% of EU citizens aged over 16 could not afford a one-week holiday in 2025; the share rose slightly from 2024 but fell compared with 2015.
Eurostat data show that 27.5% of EU residents aged over 16 were unable to afford a one-week holiday away from home in 2025. The figure marks a slight rise compared with 2024 but remains substantially lower than a decade earlier.
Growing short-term strain, long-term improvement
The European statistical office reported the share of people who could not set aside money for a seven-day trip increased by 0.5 percentage points versus 2024, while it was 7.7 percentage points below the level recorded in 2015.
Country-level results show wide differences across the Union. Romania registered the highest share at 61.4%, followed by Greece at 46.6%. Bulgaria and Hungary each recorded 39.1% of the population unable to afford a one-week holiday.
At the other end of the scale, Luxembourg reported the smallest share, 10.6%, with Sweden at 12.4% and the Netherlands at 12.8%.
Eurostat’s indicator covers households’ ability to finance at least one week of annual holiday away from home and is used as a measure of material living conditions. Analysts say the data highlight persistent disparities in purchasing power and leisure access across EU member states.
The statistics do not specify the composition of households affected or the destinations involved, but the figures are widely used by policymakers monitoring inequality and social inclusion at EU level.
Photo: press material from the event
