Romania entered the top five EU countries with the cheapest mortgages this year, taking into account average wages and the costs of buying a one-bedroom apartment through a mortgage loan, according to a report issued by the online broker Ipotecare.ro. The average monthly instalment on the mortgage needed to buy a one-bedroom apartment in Bucharest, built at least 30 years ago and located outside semi-central areas, currently accounts for approximately 40% of the net average wage recorded locally. The Ipotecare.ro analysis considered the purchase of a flat with a usable area of 50 square metres, valued at EUR 115,000, and an average fixed interest rate of 5.25%, the current average level recorded for mortgages granted in Bucharest.