The cost of construction materials has risen sharply, with price increases gathering pace in September, according to data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). The overall price index for materials used in the construction of new residential buildings rose by 5.6% year on year, compared with a 2.2% increase in the corresponding comparison between 2025 and 2024.
On a monthly basis, the index rose by 0.5% in September compared with August, whereas the increase in the corresponding comparison in 2025 was just 0.01%.
The data show an acceleration in price increases for materials used to build new homes, with the largest annual rises recorded for diesel, electricity and bricks.
Fuel and energy prices lead the way
According to ELSTAT, diesel recorded the largest annual increase among individual materials, with prices rising by 31.2% in September 2026 compared with the same month a year earlier.
Electricity followed, up 14.9%, while brick prices rose by 12.4% and copper conductors by 11.3%.
Significant increases were also recorded for ready-mixed concrete, up 6.6%; plastic, synthetic and fibre-cement pipes, up 5.8%; and parquet flooring, up 5.5%.
Prices for aluminium frames rose by 4.9%, floor and wall tiles by 4.7%, cement by 4.3% and reinforcing steel by 4%.
Prices also increased for marble slabs and plastic, acrylic and water-based paints, up 3.8% in each category, and for lifts, up 3.5%.
Breakdown by material category
Among the broader groups, the largest annual increase was recorded for machinery fuels, electricity and water, which rose by 20.4%.
Artificial stone materials followed, up 10.3%, ahead of natural stone materials, at 7%, and electrical materials, at 6.9%.
Insulation materials rose by 6%, binders and ready-mixed concrete by 5.4%, and timber and wood products by 5.1%. Glass products were up 4.9%, while water supply, heating and drainage materials, as well as tiles and sanitary ware, rose by 4.3%.
Price increases also accelerated notably for metal materials at the primary-processing stage: the annual rise reached 4.2%, compared with 0.8% in the corresponding comparison between 2025 and 2024.
* See the full breakdown in the Supporting Material column.