Young people in Cyprus move out of the family home at the average age of 27.2, making them some of the oldest youngsters to leave home within the EU, Eurostat data shows.

The highest average age for leaving home were recorded in Croatia at 31.3 years, Slovakia at 30.9 and Greece at 30.7.

Scandinavians were the youngest Europeans to move out with Swedes leaving home at an average age of 21.9, Danes at 21.7 years and Finns at 21.4.

The Eurostat data also found that in general, young people, aged 15 to 29, are more affected by housing costs, with 9.7 per cent spending 40 per cent or more of their income on housing, compared to the 8.2 per cent of the total population.

This share varied significantly within the EU, with the highest housing cost overburden rates recorded in Greece at 30.3 per cent and Denmark at 28.9 per cent. These stand in contrast to rates in the Netherlands’ 15.3 per cent and Germany’s 14.8 per cent.

Cyprus, at only 2.8 per cent, was among the EU countries with the lowest housing cost overburden rates.

Overall, Eurostat reported the tendency that in countries where young people move out of the parental home later, like Cyprus, the level of housing cost overburden is reported to be lower.

In Greece, however, despite young people leaving home later, the housing cost overburden remains high.