Slovakia’s property market is showing diverging trends, with significant increases in the sale prices of older two-room flats, while rental costs have declined in several major cities during the second quarter of 2025.
According to the latest Real Estate Barometer from the Real Estate Union of the Slovak Republic, older two-room flats in regional capitals recorded an average year-on-year price increase of 17 percent. These properties have become increasingly attractive due to their relative affordability compared to new builds, as well as heightened interest from investors. In many cases, flats are being sold via bidding, which often drives prices higher.
“Bidding is a method of achieving a higher selling price during periods of strong demand for property,” said Mojmír Plavec, legal adviser and secretary of the Real Estate Union, as quoted by the TASR news agency. “If conducted fairly and according to clear rules, it can attract multiple buyers and naturally create price competition.”
The index, which monitors flat prices across Slovakia’s regional capitals, rose by 14 percent year-on-year. The most pronounced increase was observed in Senica, where prices soared by over 26 percent. Other cities seeing growth of more than 20 percent include Komárno, Banská Bystrica, Humenné and Košice. Seven out of eight regional capitals reported double-digit annual growth.
Bratislava remains Slovakia’s most expensive housing market. Older two-room flats, with an average floor area of 55 square metres, were selling for €229,000 — representing a 17.2 percent increase year-on-year. In Košice, prices for comparable properties climbed by 20.7 percent to €185,000.
Six of the eight regional capitals ranked among the 10 most expensive cities for property, alongside Pezinok, Senec, Piešťany and Poprad.
Prices of older two-room flats in 30 selected cities (June 2025)
#
City
Price €/m²
5-Year Growth (%)
1-Year Growth (%)
1
Bratislava
4,171
37.8
17.2
2
Košice
3,369
77.8
20.7
3
Pezinok
2,905
53.4
7.5
4
Trnava
2,902
50.5
18.5
5
Banská Bystrica
2,874
62.4
24.1
6
Senec
2,861
52.9
9.4
7
Žilina
2,734
54.6
5.5
8
Piešťany
2,654
30.3
2.2
9
Poprad
2,641
73.4
10.5
10
Nitra
2,595
55.4
14.0
11
Prešov
2,551
65.6
16.4
12
Liptovský Mikuláš
2,455
44.2
18.8
13
Malacky
2,422
49.6
9.5
14
Trenčín
2,381
55.8
9.3
15
Zvolen
2,224
77.1
13.6
16
Martin
2,116
59.9
17.4
17
Spišská Nová Ves
2,111
64.9
12.1
18
Čadca
2,086
81.7
7.0
19
Považská Bystrica
2,053
54.2
6.0
20
Dunajská Streda
2,047
82.0
13.3
21
Michalovce
1,981
22.9
7.3
22
Senica
1,874
74.5
26.3
23
Šaľa
1,809
56.9
3.0
24
Nové Zámky
1,685
56.9
14.0
25
Levice
1,596
60.9
17.9
26
Prievidza
1,589
46.9
14.2
27
Humenné
1,575
72.4
24.6
28
Komárno
1,559
63.9
20.5
29
Bánovce nad Bebravou
1,489
36.5
10.0
30
Lučenec
1,389
64.6
9.1
The cheapest district for rent in Bratislava
Meanwhile, the rental market is showing signs of easing. According to the Deloitte Rent Index for Q2 2025, the number of flats available for rent increased noticeably compared with previous periods, while the average floor area of rented properties slightly declined. These changes contributed to reductions in average monthly rents across several regions, according to the SITA news agency.
The average rent for a flat in Slovakia in the second quarter was €727, reflecting a quarter-on-quarter drop of 5.3 percent. The most significant declines were recorded in Bratislava (-8.6 percent), Žilina (-6.1 percent), and Nitra (-5.2 percent). Conversely, Banská Bystrica (+3.0 percent) and Trenčín (+1.4 percent) saw modest rental increases.
Trenčín reported the lowest average monthly rent at €544, while Bratislava retained the highest at €890. Within the capital, the only district to record a rental increase was Vrakuňa (+1.2 percent), where the average rent reached €669. The most affordable borough in Bratislava was Podunajské Biskupice, with an average rent of €632.
On an annual basis, the average rent across Slovakia rose by 2.1 percent. Prešov posted the highest year-on-year increase (+11.1 percent), followed by Banská Bystrica (+10.7 percent), Košice (+7.1 percent), Trenčín (+3.9 percent), and Trnava (+3.8 percent). The largest annual declines were seen in Poprad (-4.8 percent) and Žilina (-2.6 percent).
Prices for one-room and two-room rental flats rose by 7.7 percent nationwide over the past year. In Bratislava, one-room flats rose by 7.6 percent and two-room flats by 6.9 percent, while three-room flats saw a year-on-year decrease of 1.3 percent. Rental prices for newly built flats remained relatively stable.
Despite the recent dip in rents, the long-term outlook for both rental and sale prices — particularly for well-located older two-room flats — remains positive.
“These flats are often situated in areas with strong civic infrastructure, good transport links and access to green spaces,” noted Attila Mészáros, Chairman of the Real Estate Union.
Košice emerges as a dynamic property hotspot
The second quarter of 2025 brought further shifts in the property market, most notably in eastern Slovakia’s capital, Košice. According to the latest market reports from property website Nehnuteľnosti.sk, while prices in Bratislava are rising at a more moderate pace, Košice has seen a sharper upturn — at times approaching price levels found in Bratislava’s suburban zones, according to the SITA news agency.
The strongest quarter-on-quarter price growth was recorded in three-room flats in Košice’s second district, while two-room flats experienced broad-based price increases across all city districts. Košice I and Košice II have now reached price levels comparable with outer districts of the capital, which analysts describe as a surprising development.
The most significant change occurred in Košice III, where prices for two-room flats rose by 8.28 percent over the quarter and by as much as 24 percent year-on-year — marking a historic high for this category.
In Bratislava, the steepest quarterly price increases for two-room flats were recorded in the third district (Bratislava III), where prices climbed by over 10 percent. In other parts of the capital, price growth was more subdued, largely due to already elevated average price levels limiting further rapid gains. Meanwhile, slight declines in two-room flat prices were observed in the regional cities of Žilina and Trnava.
Three-room flats in Košice saw record-breaking growth. In Košice II, prices surged by more than 15 percent quarter-on-quarter. In Košice III, the quarterly rise approached 12 percent, with a year-on-year increase reaching 25 percent — the fastest rate of growth among major Slovak cities.
By contrast, Bratislava’s three-room flat prices remained largely stable, with only minor changes observed. In Bratislava III, a slight decline was reported, in stark contrast to the double-digit growth seen in the district’s two-room flats. Notably, Trenčín also recorded a strong upswing, with the average price of three-room flats increasing by over 10 percent in just three months to reach €170,000.
“Bratislava remains the country’s strongest property market, with the largest concentration of housing stock. However, it is an encouraging sign that Košice is gaining momentum,” concluded Michal Pružinský, an analyst at Nehnuteľnosti.sk. “This trend may attract increased interest from developers and support further investment in the city’s residential construction sector.”