Adulthood may begin at 18, but for many young people in Cyprus, independence…is significantly delayed. Why is that? Because, according to data from the Cyprus Statistical Service, on average, young people in Cyprus remain in their parents’ home until they are 27 years old.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
This delay is attributed to the high cost of rent and housing, low or entry-level wages, job instability among young people who are slow to secure permanent employment, the high cost of living, and the fact that higher education prolongs young people’s financial dependence on their families.
Reasons for the delay:
- High costs associated with rent and housing
- Low or entry-level wages
- Job instability
- High cost of living
- Undergraduate and graduate education
As for unemployment rates, they have decreased significantly compared to previous years. In 2025, unemployment stood at 9.3%, while 10 years earlier it was 24.5%.
However, even though unemployment has fallen significantly and more than half of young people in Cyprus are employed, entering the labor market does not always mean financial independence.
The picture is completely different in other European countries. Specifically, young people in Finland and Denmark leave their parents’ home at age 21, while in Sweden they do so shortly before turning 22.
Young people in Southern and Eastern Europe leave their parents’ homes at an even older age than those in Cyprus.
Croatia tops the list with an average age of 31. Slovakia, Greece, Italy, and Spain follow with an average age of 30.
And yet, despite the challenges they face, young people in Cyprus report being largely satisfied with their lives. On a scale of 1 to 10, the younger generation gives their lives a score of… 7.7, a figure that shows that, despite the challenges, optimism remains.
Watch Eleni Michael’s report
