Atlanta, October 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/A global research report released today by the international organization Renjia Renhuayuan states that housing costs are forcing millions of people around the world to make difficult choices, with the consequences affecting aspects such as food, healthcare, financial security, and major life plans for the future.

This report, titled " Home at What Cost ?", is based on a nationwide representative survey of 30,000 respondents from 22 countries. The report indicates that the total cost of housing is far more than just rent or mortgage payments; it also includes things that people have to give up in order to have a place that they can call "home".

Three-quarters of respondents (75%) stated that in the past year, they have cut at least one expense to cover housing costs. Those under the greatest pressure are already more vulnerable to housing issues, including those living in informal housing arrangements (89%), low-income groups (85%), and the younger generations – Generation Z and Millennials (81%). This trade-off has affected basic living needs: 33% of respondents have reduced their spending on food, 32% have used savings or emergency funds, and 13% have postponed or avoided medical treatment to keep their homes.

Even with these sacrifices, many families are still in a vulnerable state. Nearly half of respondents globally (48%) stated that a single unexpected problem could threaten their ability to continue maintaining their housing. The affordability of housing also forces people to compromise on safety; 40% of respondents said that they accept a certain level of housing risk because safer options are out of reach. Overall, there is a lack of confidence that solutions are about to emerge, with 56% of respondents indicating that their country's housing system has failed or is simply unable to function effectively.

The CEO of Renjia Family Home International Organization, Jonathan Reckford, stated: "A home should not come at the cost of your health or future. It should be a foundation for health, opportunities, and financial security. However, more than half of people believe that the housing system in their country has failed or is simply unable to serve them."

He stated, "We cannot accept a future where people are forced to lower their expectations for what housing should provide. This research shows why we need the joint efforts of governments, businesses, and communities to establish a housing system that can help people build for the future, rather than merely barely sustaining their current existence."

Family planning postponed, well-being declines

The impact of housing costs has exceeded family budgets, affecting people's current well-being as well as the future they hope to build.

• Over half of the respondents (56%) stated that housing costs make it difficult for them to consider starting a family. Among Generation Z and Millennials, this proportion rises to 62%.
• Nearly 60% of parents and guardians (58%) are concerned that housing costs are limiting their children's opportunities, highlighting how the pressure of housing is delaying major life milestones and making it more difficult to achieve a sense of long-term security.
• Concerns about having a prospect of owning a home in the future are most prominent in high-income countries, especially in North America. 56% of non-homeowners in Canada and nearly half of non-homeowners in the United States (42%) say they expect not to own a home in their lifetime.
• At the same time, the proportion of people dissatisfied with their housing conditions is highest in countries with lower national incomes, such as Côte d'Ivoire (66%) and Ethiopia (63%), while the global average is 35%.
• More than one-third of respondents (35%) stated that their housing situation is one of the biggest sources of stress in their lives; among those living in informal housing arrangements, this proportion rises to 64%, and among the younger generations (Generation Z and Millennials), it is 39%.

Renters are nearly 1.5 times more likely to believe that the condition of their housing may have a negative impact on their health (28% compared to 19%).

At the same time, nearly 89% of respondents worldwide stated that safe, comfortable, and reliable housing helps them maintain mental health, highlighting that housing is not only a financial issue but also increasingly affects people's well-being, resilience, and their ability to take care of themselves and their families.

Housing safety is also increasingly affected by climate change. Nearly one-third of respondents (30%) expect that extreme weather will make life in their current residences more difficult in the next three years; 18% of respondents stated that their housing does not protect them from extreme weather such as high temperatures, severe cold, or floods.

Habitat for Humanity states that governments, private sector enterprises, civil society, and individuals all have a role to play in ensuring that people have access to housing that expands opportunities rather than limits them. The organization calls on governments around the world to transform housing commitments into tangible solutions through political commitment and investment; urges enterprises to expand and innovate housing financing opportunities; encourages peers and partners to turn evidence into action by promoting policy change, financing, and accountability; and calls on individuals and communities to use their voices, skills, and networks to drive sustainable housing solutions.

The report also provides a more detailed breakdown of the aforementioned findings, including insights into various countries and different demographic groups. For more information about this report or the International Organization of Humane Homes, please visit habitat.org / HomeAtWhatCost.

Research Methods

This nationally representative survey was conducted from April 10 to June 30, 2026, covering 22 countries and collecting opinions from a total of 30,758 people. The countries included in the study were Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The report is based on an original public opinion study conducted upon the commission of Habitat for Humanity International, with the aim of better understanding how people experience housing issues in their daily lives. This study seeks to complement existing housing data by going beyond system-level indicators and to capture how housing affects people's perceptions of safety, affordability, stability, dignity, health, opportunities, and community.

About Renjia Home

Homeland of Mercy is an initiative that is rooted locally and connects globally, dedicated to building more prosperous and vibrant communities by ensuring that everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home. Since its establishment in 1976 as a Christian organization, it has stated that it has helped over 65 million people around the world to build their future in their own way by providing them with decent housing.

The organization stated that this goal is achieved by collaborating with people from all walks of life to build, renovate, and finance housing, by innovating new methods of construction and financing, and by advocating for policies that make housing construction and access more accessible to everyone. The organization said, "Together we build housing, communities, and hope." For more information, please visit habitat.org.

Message sources: Habitat for Humanity International