Bucharest real estate offers some of Europe’s highest prime yields, report says

Bucharest combines rising rents across its main commercial property sectors with some of the highest prime investment yields in Europe, according to Cushman & Wakefield’s DNA of Real Estate Europe Q2 2026 report. The Romanian capital remains competitive within Central and Eastern Europe due to relatively low occupancy costs, improving market fundamentals, and returns above those available in Western European markets.

Prime office rents in Bucharest reached EUR 22 per sqm per month in the second quarter, up 4.8% year-on-year. Yields remained stable at 7.25%, compared with a European average of 5.39%.

The strongest rental growth was recorded in the high-street retail segment. Prime rents on Calea Victoriei increased by 28.6% year-on-year to EUR 90 per sqm per month, one of the fastest growth rates among the European shopping streets monitored in the report.

Prime yields for Bucharest high-street retail stood at 7%, supported by continued retailer demand and growing confidence in the city’s leading shopping locations, according to the real estate consultancy.

Meanwhile, the logistics sector also continued to grow, with prime rents rising by 2.1% to EUR 4.8 per sqm per month. Prime yields remained unchanged at 7.5%, among the highest levels recorded in Europe.

“Bucharest remains well positioned within the CEE region, combining solid occupier fundamentals with investment yields that are among the most competitive in Europe,” said Vlad Săftoiu, head of research at Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

“The performance recorded across the office, retail, and logistics sectors highlights the market’s resilience and its growing maturity compared with other regional capital cities.”

Across Europe, prime office rents increased by 4.5% year-on-year during the second quarter, while retail rents rose by 3% and logistics rents by 2.4%.

Central and Eastern European office markets recorded average annual rental growth of 5%. Retail rents across the region advanced by 7.4%, while logistics rents increased by 0.8%.

Cushman & Wakefield said Bucharest continues to offer some of the highest prime yields among the CEE capitals included in the report while maintaining positive rental growth and stable occupier demand.