How many square meters of apartment can you buy with one paycheck? These data may be very surprising

The availability of new apartments in Poland varies regionally, and the increase in wages does not translate into improved purchasing opportunities everywhere – according to a report by the RynekPierwotny.pl website. Availability is the worst in Warsaw – the average salary allowed you to buy approximately 0.59 square meters of a new apartment.

The report prepared by RynekPierwotny.pl based on data from the Central Statistical Office and the BIG DATA RynekPierwotny.pl platform shows that in the first quarter of this year, the average gross salary allowed – depending on the city – to purchase from 0.59 to 0.85 square meters of a new apartment.

According to the report the most difficult situation remains in Warsaw, where in the first quarter of 2026 the average salary allowed to buy approximately 0.59 sq m of a new apartment. The capital remains the least accessible market in the country, and the situation has further deteriorated year on year. A similar trend, although less intense, is visible in Gdańsk, where the availability rate dropped from approx. 0.72 sq m in 2022 to approx. 0.61 sq m at the beginning of 2026.

Experts emphasize that The disappearance of the “price bubble” topic from public debate does not mean an improvement in the situation of buyers. “Annual data show that in many metropolises, despite relatively stable price-to-income ratios, the average purchasing power of city residents is systematically decreasing,” said Marek Wielgo from the RynekPierwotny.pl website, quoted in the report.

A better situation is observed in cities with a more “mass” supply structure. IN Krakow the availability of apartments increased from approx. 0.61 sq m at the end of 2023 to approx. 0.71 sq m in the first quarter of 2026, among others. thanks to the introduction of a larger number of cheaper premises to the market. The improvement is also visible in Wrocław (approx. 0.66 sq m) and w Łódźwhere the average salary allowed the purchase of approximately 0.76 sq m, which means the largest annual increase in availability.

They maintain the highest level of accessibility Katowice – approx. 0.85 sq m for the average salary – although also there the result is slightly weaker than the quarter before. In turn, in Poznań there was a decline in purchasing power – the average salary allowed the purchase of 0.69 square meters, less than a year earlier.

The analysis shows that the key factor differentiating markets is the structure of the development offer. In cities where the share of expensive premium apartments is growing, the increase in wages does not keep pace with the increase in average prices. As a result, even market stabilization and slower rate of price increases do not translate into improved availability.

Experts emphasize that although the market has entered a phase of greater balance, the problem of housing availability is growing gradually. “The lack of a 'price bubble' does not yet mean a market friendly to average earners,” Wielgo pointed out. (PAP)

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