Scotland has the second most affordable mortgages in the UK, according to a study which reported "significant improvement" in their affordability.
Mortgage payments now account for 22% of disposable earnings for people living in Scotland, down from a peak of 38% five years ago.
It is beaten only by Northern Ireland, where 20% of disposable earnings go towards mortgage payments.
The UK average is 28% and in London the proportion is 36%, research by Bank of Scotland found. The favourable mortgage affordability position would be a boost to those looking to own their own home, economists said.
The bank's study compared the final quarter of 2007 with the final quarter of last year and found that mortgage payments as a proportion of income have fallen by more than two-fifths, from 38% to 22%, over that time.
The average monthly take-home wage in Scotland stands at £1,954 while the average monthly mortgage payment is £424, the bank said. Lower house prices and reduced mortgage rates have been the "main drivers" behind the improvement in affordability, economists said.
In other findings, seven of the 10 most affordable local authority districts in the UK are in Scotland.
West Dunbartonshire is the most affordable area in Scotland and the second most affordable in the UK, with typical mortgage payments accounting for 17.6% of average local earnings. It is followed by Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.
Aberdeenshire, where mortgage payments on a new loan are 27.8% of average local earnings, is Scotland's least affordable area. Perth & Kinross, Edinburgh and East Renfrewshire are also among the least affordable.
Nitesh Patel, housing economist at Bank of Scotland, said: "Mortgage affordability has improved significantly over the past few years as a result of falls in house prices and cuts in mortgage rates. This development has been a key factor supporting housing demand and is expected to remain so in 2013 as interest rates remain low."
