Who rents apartments in Poland? NBP showed the latest data

Economic immigrants and refugees together accounted for 20-25 percent. contracts on the apartment rental market in Poland in the first quarter of 2026 – according to a survey of the National Bank of Poland (NBP) conducted among real estate agents. Economic immigrants constituted 11-13 percent. contracts, and refugees 10-12 percent.

The largest group remained domestic individual tenants, who generated 40%. demand in Warsaw and 44-45 percent in other cities.

– Domestic individual tenants dominated in the structure of housing transactions, generating 40 percent. demand in Warsaw and 44-45 percent in other cities. The second largest group were students (from 25% in the capital to 28% in the 10M group (10 largest cities – PAP), on average 27% in total). Economic immigrants accounted for 11-13 percent. contracts, refugees for 10-12 percent, and other tenant profiles for 6-9 percent. – we read in the NBP report on the real estate market for 2025.

Students remain an important segment

The second largest group on the rental market are students. Their share was on average 27 percent, in Warsaw it was 25 percent and in the group of the ten largest cities – 28 percent. Other tenants accounted for 6-9 percent. concluded contracts.

According to intermediaries surveyed by NBP, in 2026 the situation in most segments should remain stable. From 67 to 88 percent respondents indicated no significant changes in demand. Such a situation was most often expected in the case of students – 88%. indications – and domestic individual tenants – 83 percent.

Different forecasts for migration groups

Predictions for immigrants and refugees were more mixed. An increase in demand from economic immigrants in Warsaw was assumed by 22 percent. intermediaries. In the case of students, the percentage of respondents indicating an increase was 6-10%.

At the same time, some experts predicted a reduction in interest in renting among migrant groups:

• On average, 38 percent predicted a decline in refugee demand. respondents,

• in the group of the ten largest cities it was 43%,

• in the case of economic immigrants, the decline was assumed to be on average 21%. intermediaries.

NBP examined the rental market

The data comes from a survey conducted by the National Bank of Poland in February 2026. 246 enterprises participated in it. 226 respondents answered questions about the rental market. The study covered demand and supply on the secondary housing market, including rentals.

The collected responses show that the market structure remains diverse. The largest part of the demand is generated by domestic individual tenants, and students also constitute an important group. Economic immigrants and refugees together account for approximately one fifth to one quarter of contracts concluded.