The average cost of a mortgage loan in Moldova increased by more than 40% in 2024-2025, yet mortgages remain a lifeline for banks and the public – Veaceslav Ioniță
Analyzing trends in the real estate and mortgage lending market, economic expert IDIS Viitorul notes an increase in the average cost of a mortgage loan from €50,000 in 2024 to €70,600 in the third quarter of 2025. According to him, this occurred against the backdrop of a sharp rise in housing prices and rising interest rates. The average interest rate increased from 7% in the first quarter of 2025 to 8.2% in the third quarter as a result of the tightening of the National Bank of Moldova's monetary policy. "As a result, citizens are experiencing double pressure: rising real estate prices and higher borrowing costs," notes Veaceslav Ioniță, emphasizing that the total mortgage portfolio in the banking system has reached 24.4 billion lei and is expected to exceed 26 billion lei by the end of this year. The expert claims that while commercial banks issued 4.1 thousand mortgage loans in 2023, their number increased to 7.4 thousand in 2024, and to 6,360 in the first 9 months of 2025. By the end of the year, an estimated 7.8 thousand mortgage loans had been issued, which is a new record for the Moldovan banking system. The total value of new mortgage loans issued has increased significantly: from 0.5 billion lei in 2015 to 2.8 billion lei in 2020, to 8.1 billion lei in 2024 and to 11.7 billion lei in the third quarter of 2025. According to Veaceslav Ioniță, the volume of new mortgage loans will exceed 12 billion lei by the end of the year. In 2023, 36.9 thousand real estate purchase and sale transactions were concluded in Moldova, and 36.1 thousand in 2024. Only 24.6 thousand transactions were recorded in the first 9 months of 2025, which is one of the lowest indicators in the history of the country. According to estimates, about 35 thousand real estate transactions will be concluded by the end of 2025, which will be a historical minimum. The situation is most pronounced in Chisinau, where the number of transactions has fallen sharply. However, despite the Moldovan real estate market experiencing a sharp decline in the number of transactions, mortgage lending is at an all-time high. "Mortgages are becoming a lifeline for both the banking system and for individuals who have no other options for financing their home purchases," emphasized Veaceslav Ioniță.// 05.11.2025 — InfoMarket
