Half of young home sharers in Europe prefer to live alone

Rotterdam, July 29, 2025 – A recent survey by rental platform HousingAnywhere reveals that 52% of young home sharers in Europe would prefer living alone, while 48% do not mind sharing an apartment with roommates. This indicates that those who prefer solo living slightly outnumber those comfortable with shared living. Young tenants in the Netherlands show a particular preference for living alone (60%), in contrast to Spain and Italy, where sharing is slightly more preferred.

HousingAnywhere, Europe’s largest mid-term rental platform, surveyed over 3,100 tenants from 18 to 34 years old who have rented a flat in the past six months or are currently seeking one. HousingAnywhere offers an online rental platform that helps students and professionals relocate easily, both internationally and within their home country.

It's a common belief that many young adults share flats due to high rent prices, preferring to live alone but unable to afford it. Figures from the study support this, showing a clear trend: the older tenants are, the less open they are to shared accommodation. Only 46% of home sharers aged 18 to 20 prefer living alone. This percentage steadily rises, reaching 61% for home sharers between 30 and 34.

The results highlight varying preferences across countries. While 60% of young tenants sharing an apartment in the Netherlands prefer living alone, this percentage drops in Southern European countries like Spain (46%) and Italy (47%). Germany's preference for solo living (56%) is closer to that of the Netherlands.

While openness to room sharing may be tied to cultural trends, housing supply constraints and _rental prices are also contributing factors. For example, according to the HousingAnywhere International Rent Index, in Q2 2025, a furnished apartment inAmsterdam cost €2,685, while in Barcelona it cost €1,595.

HousingAnywhere's survey shows varied living situations for young people in Europe who recently found a rental or are currently searching. Almost half (48%) are sharing an apartment with roommates, while only 21% live alone. 10% live with a romantic partner, and 16% are still living with parents or guardians while looking for a rental. The remaining 6% are in different living arrangements.

Antonio Intini, CEO at HousingAnywhere, states: “Sharing a home offers invaluable lessons in collaboration and responsibility, especially for young people building a new life in a city. Yet, it's essential to develop rental markets that cater to both shared and independent preferences. By ensuring the availability and affordability of diverse housing types, from rooms to co-living, studios and one-bedroom apartments, we empower every individual to thrive at each stage of their life journey”.

About these figures

In June 2025, HousingAnywhere surveyed 3,190 young people who had rented accommodation via its platform in the past six months or were actively looking for a rental in Europe. The users were aged between 18 and 34 years: 18% were 18-20 years old, 36% were 21-24, 30% were 25-29, and 15% were 30-34. Of the respondents, 63% had already found their rental, and 37% were still looking. Respondents were primarily located in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain, with smaller representations from Belgium, France, Portugal, and other European countries.

This survey includes a breakdown per country based on the country where tenants wanted to find a rental or had recently found one. The tenants’ nationality does not necessarily match the country where they were looking for a rental, as the tenants can be both internationals and nationals.

About HousingAnywhere

HousingAnywhere is Europe’s largest mid-term rental marketplace, enabling people to rent wherever they choose thanks to a convenient and secure booking experience. It connects tenants with verified landlords, allowing tenants to book their new home entirely online. HousingAnywhere operates in over 125 cities in Europe and the U.S. and primarily serves students and young professionals aged 18 to 35 who rent accommodation abroad for six to twelve months.

Together with the Dutch platform Kamernet and French Studapart, HousingAnywhere represents three fast-growing brands. The HousingAnywhere and Studapart marketplaces generated 60,000 bookings in 2024, while Kamernet had 80,000 paying subscribers in the same year. Headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, the company employs 250 professionals.

Press contact

For more information, please contact press@housinganywhere.com. For more reports, go to the press page.