Rising housing costs in Greece drive demand for shared accommodation, but trust remains a major barrier

However, despite financial necessity driving greater interest in sharing a home, a lack of trust and concerns about personal safety continue to act as significant barriers.

This is the key finding of a new nationwide survey conducted by MyRoomie between 5 and 12 August 2026, involving a sample of 2,601 people aged 18 to 48. The findings highlight the challenges associated with accessing housing, public perceptions of shared accommodation, and the conditions under which individuals would be willing to share their homes with someone they do not know.

The financial pressure facing tenants is evident in the fact that 42% of respondents say they are currently unable to afford renting a property on their own. By contrast, 38% say they can afford to do so, while a further 20% remain uncertain about their financial ability to rent independently.

Even more revealing is the finding that 73% identify high rental prices as the greatest obstacle when searching for accommodation. Among younger respondents aged 18 to 26, this figure rises to 83%, confirming that young people face particularly significant barriers when attempting to live independently.

Shared Accommodation Gains Ground Amid Rising Living Costs

Financial pressure appears to be creating the conditions for greater acceptance of shared accommodation. According to the survey, 80% of respondents understand what shared accommodation entails, while 60% say they would consider sharing a home with someone they do not know.

Among those open to this possibility, 79% identify the rising cost of living as their primary motivation. Financial considerations are therefore the dominant factor encouraging people to explore alternative housing arrangements.

However, willingness does not necessarily translate into an immediate decision. Safety and trust remain the main obstacles. Specifically, 88% of those who reject the idea of sharing accommodation with a stranger cite these concerns, while 70% of the overall sample consider safety the most important feature of a roommate-finding platform.

The gap between financial necessity and willingness to share accommodation becomes even more apparent when respondents are asked how comfortable they would feel about moving in the following day with someone they had never met.

A total of 55% say they would feel completely uncomfortable, while just 17% report that they would feel fairly or very comfortable.

First-Hand Experience Changes Attitudes Towards Shared Accommodation

Of particular interest is the comparison between respondents who have never shared accommodation with a stranger and those who have already had such an experience.

Among the approximately 250 respondents who have lived with someone they did not previously know, the picture is markedly different. The proportion who say they would feel completely uncomfortable falls to just 15%, while those who would feel fairly or very comfortable account for 53%.

Furthermore, 77% of respondents with previous shared accommodation experience say that it improved their social lives.

These findings suggest that a significant proportion of the reluctance surrounding shared accommodation may be attributable more to uncertainty before the first experience than to negative experiences of living with others.

The survey also reveals interesting differences in priorities depending on the type of shared accommodation. When respondents are asked to identify the greatest benefit of their experience, those who have lived with a partner or friends primarily highlight companionship, cited by 41% of the overall sample.

By contrast, respondents who have shared accommodation with a stranger identify financial support as the most significant benefit, at 27%, followed by meeting new people, at 22%. Companionship is cited by just 15% of this group.

This distinction is particularly telling: when shared accommodation involves people with no prior personal relationship, financial relief and the opportunity to expand one’s social circle become more important considerations.

Cleanliness and Everyday Habits Are Key Factors in Choosing a Roommate

Beyond safety, everyday habits and household management play a decisive role in the selection of a potential roommate.

When asked which characteristics they would like to share with a future roommate, 63% of respondents identify attitudes towards household chores as the most important factor. This figure rises to 70% among those who have previously shared accommodation with a stranger.

Daily habits, including smoking and alcohol consumption, rank second, with 38% of respondents identifying them as important. Among those with previous experience of sharing accommodation with someone they did not know, this figure increases to 56%.

By contrast, shared social characteristics appear to be considerably less important. Having mutual acquaintances is cited by just 11% of respondents overall and 3% of those who have lived with a stranger. Marital status records corresponding figures of 15% and 5%, respectively.

Cleanliness and the management of household chores also emerge as the second most frequently mentioned concern in respondents’ open-ended answers, following the fear of living with someone unfamiliar.

The findings indicate that successful shared accommodation depends not only on the financial circumstances of those involved, but also on compatibility in terms of lifestyle, habits and expectations regarding everyday living arrangements.

Women Face Greater Housing Pressures and Express Stronger Reservations

Another important aspect highlighted by the survey concerns differences between men and women.

Women emerge both as the group facing greater difficulties in renting a property without a roommate and as the group expressing greater reservations about sharing their home with a stranger.

Specifically, 58% of women say they would feel completely uncomfortable moving in with someone they do not know, compared with 42% of men.

This finding highlights a significant contradiction in the housing market: those with the greatest need to share accommodation costs are often also those who face the greatest barriers when it comes to choosing an unfamiliar roommate.

MyRoomie: Trust Is the Key to the Growth of Shared Accommodation

Commenting on the survey findings, MyRoomie’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dominikos Pritis, points out that the need for shared accommodation has already been created by the rising cost of living and does not require further encouragement.

According to him, trust remains the main obstacle and cannot be established simply through a user verification process. Instead, it requires effective matching between prospective roommates based on their habits and everyday needs, opportunities to get to know one another before moving in together, and clear ground rules from the very first day of shared accommodation.

“Anyone who has had a positive first shared accommodation experience is not afraid of a second one,” he notes.

Ultimately, the survey highlights another dimension of Greece’s housing crisis. The challenge is no longer limited to finding an affordable property but increasingly extends to exploring alternative housing arrangements.

Shared accommodation can offer an effective way of distributing housing costs. However, its wider adoption will depend on addressing concerns surrounding safety, reliability and compatibility between residents.