That may be the case because of low baseline wages. Some people end up pooling a single apt between multiple tenants to cope. But the expenses are also low, meaning many people are able to own an apartment eventually, especially with the help of a safety net of their relatives. Make somewhat above the median and you can contemplate buying. Not sure if that still works with the lending rates and price fluctuations of late, though.
I've updated wording about "landlords".