15 Countries Where People Can Actually Afford to Buy a Starter Home

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The cost of a starter home depends a lot on the area it’s in and whether the country is considered wealthy or not. The annual income of the people of a country is a good predictor of what the average home will cost. However, there’s a lot of variation from country to country.

Creditnews Research has calculated the number of years of PPP-adjusted income that homebuyers need to purchase a “globally benchmarked” starter homes across OECD countries with populations of at least 5 million people.

Several times the amount of the average income is generally needed to buy a starter home. According to Creditnews, here’s how several countries stack up regarding starter home affordability.

United States

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In the U.S., the average price of a starter home is about $287,900. This is highly affordable when you look at many other countries. With an average salary of $77,463, a starter home will cost 3.7 years of income.

Australia

The city skyline of Sydney, Australia. Circular Quay and Opera House. touristic points, travel photo, sunny day
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In the Land Down Under, the starter homes aren’t quite as affordable. The annual salary is $59,408, and the average price for a starter house is a whopping $458,800. This requires 7.7 years of income to buy.

Belgium

Brussels, Belgium. Grand Place. Market square surrounded by guild halls.
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In Belgium, salaries are high and housing prices are low. With starter homes averaging $227,000 and salaries averaging $64,848, it takes only 3.5 years of income to buy a home.

Canada

Aerial image of Stanley Park, Coal Harbor and Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Canada’s housing market has gotten much more expensive over the last few years. It takes 7 years of earning the average salary of $59,050 to afford the average starter home price of $414,700.

Chile

Aerial view of lithium fields in the Atacama desert in Chile, South America - a surreal landscape where batteries are born
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The average salary in Chile is $33,042, but the price of starter homes is just $131,200. It takes the average Chilean four years of salary to buy a starter home.

Colombia

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Even with an average salary of just $22,248 a year, Colombians can generally afford a starter home. The average price of one is only $86,600. This costs about 3.9 years of salary.

Costa Rica

Night scene of the square in front of the famous National Theater of Costa Rica in San Jose
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Costa Rica is a popular place for vacation homes, partly because they are so inexpensive. The average salary is $31,118, and starter homes are an average of $118,500. This is just 3.8 years of salary.

Denmark

The popular Nyhavn area at Copenhagen, Denmark, with a street light and bicycles in front of the colorful houses
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It’s a little harder to get a starter home in Denmark. The average salary is $64,127, and a starter home averages at $331,200. It takes the Danes 5.2 years of salary to afford one.

Finland

Scenic summer panorama of the Market Square (Kauppatori) at the Old Town pier in Helsinki, Finland
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It takes a while to be able to afford a Finnish home. The salaries are mid-range at $51,836, but average home prices are $345,300. This requires 6.7 years of salary to afford a starter home.

France

Paris Eiffel Tower and river Seine at sunset in Paris, France. Eiffel Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks of Paris.
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Getting a starter home in France can be tough. It takes 7.1 years of salary to be able to afford one. The average salary is $52,764, and the average starter home is $375,000.

Germany

Aerial view of Berlin skyline and Spree river in beautiful evening light at sunset in summer, Germany
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Housing costs are high in Germany with an average price of $417,900. The average salary is mid-range at $58,940. This requires 7.1 years of salary for a starter home.

Greece

Oia town on Santorini island, Greece. Traditional and famous houses and churches with blue domes over the Caldera, Aegean sea
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This country has low salaries but also low starter home prices. The average salary is $25,979, and starter homes average $142,900. It requires about 5.5 years of salary to afford one.

Japan

Tokyo skyline and Mountain fuji in Japan
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It takes quite a few years of salary to buy a starter home in Japan. Because salaries are just $41,509, and housing prices are $319,000, it takes several years of salary to buy one.

Switzerland

Historical Thun city and lake Thun with snow covered Bernese Highlands swiss Alps mountains in background, Canton Bern, Switzerland
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Switzerland has the highest home prices on the list as well as the longest earning time needed to afford one. Salaries average $72,993, but average starter homes are $983,800. This requires 13.5 years of salary to afford.

Turkey

Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), Bosporus and asian side skyline, Istanbul, Turkey
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In Turkey, it doesn’t take long to be able to afford a starter home. Salaries average at $31,768, and homes are highly affordable at $84,200. This requires about 2.7 years of income to buy one.

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