Young people in Cyprus leave their parents' home later than the EU average
In Cyprus, young people leave their parents' home at an average age of 27 — later than the European Union average of 26.3 years. At the same time, the employment rate among Cypriots aged 20 to 29 reached 72.3% in 2025, exceeding the EU average of 65.5%, Cyprus Mail reports, citing Eurostat data.
Youth employment
Only nine countries recorded a higher youth employment rate than Cyprus. The highest figures were in Iceland, at 85.3%, and the Netherlands, at 84%.
They were followed by Malta at 82.1%, Switzerland at 78.3%, Germany at 77%, Norway at 76.5%, Ireland at 76.1%, Denmark at 74.8%, and Austria at 74.6%.
According to Eurostat, there is a general relationship between youth employment and the age at which young people leave their parents' home: in countries where young people typically begin living independently earlier, employment rates are also often higher.
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Differences between EU countries
The lowest average age for leaving the parental home was recorded in Finland, at 21.4 years. It was followed by Denmark at 21.8 years, as well as Estonia and Lithuania, where the figure was 22.7 years in each country.
The highest average age was recorded in Croatia, at 31.5 years. In Greece and Slovakia, it was 30.9 years, while in Spain and Italy it was 30.2 years. Overall, the figure in the EU has remained close to 26 years since 2002 and rose from 26.2 years in 2024 to 26.3 years in 2025.
Cost of independent living
The level of household consumption prices in Cyprus in 2025 was 89.2% of the EU average. At the same time, for young workers with lower salaries, spending on rent, utilities, food, and other daily needs may affect their ability to live independently.
In the second quarter of 2026, Cyprus recorded the largest annual decline in the job vacancy rate in the EU. The share of unfilled jobs stood at 2.6%, compared with 3.3% a year earlier, but remained above the EU average of 2% and the eurozone average of 2.1%.
