With the knockout stages of the Euro 2016 championship in full swing, online estate agent eMoov.co.uk has completed its property-based tournament to reveal the winner.
After previously comparing each team in the group stages – awarding goals for the highest take home salary, lowest property price per square metre, lowest monthly utilities costs and the lowest cost of a monthly gym membership – eMoov has moved onto the last 16 teams in its alternative, property competition.
In the knockout stages, eMoov has removed the criteria for lowest gym membership cost. Goals have been awarded on which country has the higher take home salary, the lower property price and the lower cost of utilities.
The last 16
Although Poland has a higher take home salary, Romania took the first quarter-final spot with cheaper house prices and bills.
France beat Wales in a tight match to take the second quarter-final place. Although the cost of property per square metre is higher in France (£4,274) than Wales, the team did enough to secure the spot with a higher take home salary (£1,506) and marginally lower monthly bills (£116).
The Czech Republic lost out to one of the smallest nations in the tournament, Iceland, due to its lower take home salary and higher bills. However, the Czech Republic does offer a lower house price, securing them one goal.
eMoov Completes its Property-Based Euro 2016 Tournament
Albania secured a quarter-final position over Northern Ireland. With a property price of just £917 per square metre and monthly bills of £41, compared to Northern Ireland’s £79, Albania moves onto the next round.
Despite a take home salary of just £136, Ukraine beat Slovakia with a house price of just £899 and a cost of utilities (£36) almost £100 cheaper than Slovakia.
Sweden started a goal down against Hungary, which has the lower property price. However, it rescued the game with a much higher salary (£1,683 to £383) and utility bills of around £54 cheaper.
Belgium lost out to Turkey due to its property prices being double its competitor’s, as well as a much higher cost of utilities – £105 to Turkey’s £64.
Finally, Russia secured the last quarter-final place against Portugal in one of the tightest games so far. Despite having a lower take home salary (£368) than Portugal (£618), Russia has the lower house prices (£1,206) and beats Portugal with lower utilities (£62).
The quarter-finals
In the first game, Iceland narrowly beat Romania. At £908 per square metre, Romania’s lower house prices put them one nil up. However, with a salary of just £352 to Iceland’s £1,611, the game was tied. With its utilities being just £1 cheaper, Iceland snatches the lead at the last minute.
Sweden came out on top of the host nation, France, with a higher take home salary and lower utility bills (£60), despite a property price (£5,199) of almost £1,000 per square metre more than France.
The Ukraine sent Turkey home with a lower house price and utilities, although Turkey was awarded a goal for a higher take home salary, of £469 – more than three times that of the Ukraine.
Albania knocked Russia out of the competition to secure a place in the semi-finals, beating it on both property prices and utility costs. Russia did manage a goal, however, thanks to its higher take home salary.
The semi-finals
Iceland just fell short of a place in the final, offering a considerably cheaper property price (£2,137) than Sweden, but having a lower take home salary and higher utility costs, giving Sweden a spot in the last game.
In the other semi-final match, Albania also fell short to the Ukraine. The Ukraine’s cheaper house prices and lower utility bills beat Albania’s higher take home salary.
The final
The Ukraine takes on Sweden. At £5,199, the price of property per square metre in Sweden is almost six times that in the Ukraine, giving the Ukrainians an early lead. However, Sweden levelled the game with a take home salary of £1,683 – £1,547 more than the Ukraine. But late into the game, Ukraine took the lead with utility costs of just £36 – £24 cheaper than Sweden’s.
The founder and CEO of eMoov, Russell Quirk, comments: “Forget Ronaldo, Gomez or Pogba, all you need to come out on top of the Euros is an affordable property price, good take home salary and low cost of living – something the Ukraine has across the board.
“Obviously, this knockout stage will look completely different to the world football powers that are likely to dominate the actual Euros, but it does offer a good insight into how countries across Europe match up when it comes to property price and the cost of living.
“What with the outcome of the Brexit vote, we could see masses of remain campaigners flee to remaining EU member states for sanctuary based solely on this research.”