The credit madness is back. Poles are getting into massive debt again
In the future, there is war, everyday prices are more expensive and the future is less and less predictable, but this reality does not discourage Poles from taking out housing loans. Contrary!
In 2025, 66 percent people in Poland lived in their own properties, and according to forecasts from the report published by Open Format “Living 2040 The future of housing in Poland”, this percentage will increase to 79%. in 2040. The model of renting an apartment, which is common in Western Europe, is not very popular in Poland and there are reasons for this.
The latest data from the Credit Information Bureau show that in March 2026, over 63,000 people applied for a housing loan. people – this is the highest result since 2008. In the last five years, there has not been a single month with the number of applications exceeding 50,000. What has changed?
Credit beats rent – not much, but always
Poles can draw quick and unexpected conclusions from the war in the Middle East, which, however, may affect the level of interest rates in Poland. Instead of reductions, they simply expect increases. From this point of view, there is nothing to wait for.
BIK information shows that the average amount of the loan requested for the first time in history exceeded half a million zlotys (PLN 506.42 thousand).
The second premise is mathematics. According to Open Format calculations in cooperation with Skanska and Nieruchmości-online.pl, it is cheaper to pay mortgage interest than to pay rent for a rented apartment. The average value of a housing loan in the first quarter of 2025 was PLN 425,000. PLN, which translates into approximately PLN 2.9 thousand on average. PLN installments per month. In the same quarter, the average rent was approximately PLN 60 per m2, i.e. for an apartment of 50 m2 you had to pay approximately PLN 3,000. PLN per month.
There will be fewer and fewer people renting premises
It turns out that Poles are still not enthusiastic about the institution of renting an apartment itself. In 2025, 15 percent people decided to rent, but in 2040 this value will drop to only 7%. – predicts Open Format. It’s a matter of feeling safe, stable and independent. For 71 percent respondents, having your own place is strongly rooted in Polish culture and is perceived as a key element of a “good life” and the foundation of life success – according to the latest PZFD report on the housing needs of Poles.
– The average age of the tenant in the apartments in the company’s portfolio is approximately 45 years – says Elżbieta Chmiel, member of the management board of PFR Nieruchomości in wei.org.pl.
However, the problem for Poles are real estate prices. Over the last two years, on the secondary market in Warsaw, apartment prices have increased by 8% and house prices by 17%. It is similar all over Poland.
