Official sale records · Europe · 2025
The cheapest houses in Europe: what official sale records show
Where in Europe can you still buy a house you can live in for under €50,000? We looked at the official sale records of four countries. France has by far the most: 20,285 houses sold for €5,000 to €50,000 in 2025. Inland Finland, the north of Sweden and inland Portugal have cheap places too.
- France, houses sold for €5k–50k
- 20,285
- Finland, Lieksa
- €16,500
- Sweden, Åsele
- SEK 502,000
- Portugal, Sernancelhe
- €245/m²
in 2025, middle price €35,000
middle countryside house, 28 sales
≈ €45,600, average house
middle price of homes sold
Sources: DVF (France, Licence Ouverte 2.0), MML (Finland, CC BY 4.0), SCB (Sweden, CC0), Instituto Nacional de Estatística, IP – Portugal (CC BY 4.0). Our own counts. Details on each country page.
Country by country
Each country records house sales in its own way. France lists every sale with its price. Finland gives the middle price per town, Sweden the average, Portugal the middle price per m². So we do not rank the countries on one number. We show what each record says, and where the cheapest places are.
| Country | What the official data shows for 2025 | Cheapest place in the data | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 20,285 houses sold for €5,000 to €50,000, 4.6% of all house sales | Creuse: 30% of house sales under €50,000 | DVF, every sale with its price |
| Finland | In 74 towns the middle countryside house sold for under €50,000 (811 sales) | Lieksa: middle price €16,500 (towns with 10 or more sales) | MML, sales and middle price per town |
| Sweden | In 24 kommuner the average house sold for under SEK 1 million (≈ €90,900) | Åsele: average SEK 502,000 (≈ €45,600) | SCB, sales and average price per kommun |
| Portugal | In 37 municipalities homes sold for under €500 per m² in the middle | Sernancelhe: €245 per m² (all of Portugal: €2,076) | INE, middle price per m² per town |
What it costs to buy a €40,000 house
The price is not all you pay. The taxes and fees below are for a €40,000 house bought as a second home. For France we use the rate of most départements. For Sweden we change euros to kronor at 11.0. Lawyers, surveys and bank fees are not in these numbers.
| Country | What you pay | Tax and fees | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 6.32% transfer tax + notary's fee + 0.10% register fee | €3,364 | DGFiP, Service-Public.fr |
| Sweden | 1.5% stamp duty + SEK 825 fee | €675 | Lantmäteriet |
| Finland | 3% transfer tax, plus a fee to register you as owner | €1,200 + fee | Vero |
| Portugal | 1% IMT + 0.8% stamp duty (a home that is not your main home) | €720 | CIMT art. 17, Imposto do Selo |
Rates checked on 30 September 2026. Rules change, so check with the notary or the tax office before you sign.
Who can buy
France
Anyone can buy. No permit, from the US and the UK too. You sign twice: first the compromis, then the deed at the notary. After the compromis you have 10 days to change your mind (Notaires de France).
Sweden
Anyone can buy. There are no rules for foreign buyers. Buyers bid, and a bid does not bind you until you sign.
Finland
Buyers from the EU and the EEA need no permit. Buyers from the US, the UK and other countries need a permit from the Ministry of Defence (defmin.fi).
Portugal
Anyone can buy. You need a Portuguese tax number (NIF) before you sign (Portal das Finanças). Land sold as rural land (rústico) pays 5% IMT, not 1%.
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