Coliving, hostels and residences for a longer arrival stay

Key rules

• Trade-off: You pay a premium for flexibility and community, and you accept minimum stays.
• Padrón: A coliving contract in your name is generally accepted, while hotels and tourist flats are often refused.
• Minimum stay: Coliving asks for 1 month at least, and some operators need 3 months; hostels are booked by the night and residences by the semester.

What each costs

• Coliving: €700-1,300 a month for a private room in Madrid and Barcelona, €500-900 in Valencia, Málaga and smaller cities; bills, cleaning and events are included.
• Hostel: €20-45 a night for a dorm bed, €50-90 for a private room, in the big cities.
• University residence or colegio mayor: a room is €500-900 a month, or €900-1,600 with meals, in Madrid and Barcelona.

All figures are 2024-2025 asking prices.

Coliving operators

Minimums run from 1 to 3 months by operator, and you can stay up to 12 months.

• Habyt: Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.
• Sharing Co: Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Málaga.
• Cohabs: Madrid and Barcelona.
• The Social Hub: Madrid and Barcelona. Hotel-like, from a few nights.
• Outsite: coastal spots and the Canary Islands, from 1 week.

Hostels

Hostels mean dorms or shared bathrooms and are booked by the night; most cap a stay at 30 days. They are the cheapest way to land and the weakest for privacy and for a padrón address. Book the first nights with free cancellation, and ask whether the hostel will sign an authorisation if you need the padrón.

University residences

Residences and colegios mayores are booked by semester or academic year, and the contract or a certificate of stay from the residence is what the town hall wants for the padrón. September is the peak, so book by July. A room on a 1-3 month temporary contract in a shared flat is the alternative (which housing suits your first weeks).

What the contract gives you

A coliving agreement is usually a service or seasonal-type contract under the Civil Code, not a long-term lease, so your protection is the contract. Check three things before you pay: your name is on it, the notice period is stated (one month), and the deposit is stated (one month's rent, returned within a month). A contract in your name is what the town hall accepts for the padrón; a nightly hostel or hotel-style booking is not a registrable address. Which stays let you register your address has the full list.

If you have a chronic condition, disability or a dependent adult with you

Accessibility varies by building. The Social Hub offers accessible rooms, and many older converted coliving flats have no lift. Ask the operator for an accessible room before booking.

If you travel with children or a partner

A single room or dorm bed is not enough once someone joins you. Everyone who lives there needs a place that fits them and a contract that names them.

• Spouse or partner: Ask for a double room or unit, whatever your legal relationship. Put both names on the contract so both of you can register on the padrón, each with your own ID.
• Children: Most coliving operators and hostel dorms accept adults only. The Social Hub offers family or double rooms, and families need a studio-type unit. The operator must confirm a family room and list everyone on the contract for the padrón.

If you travel with a dog, cat or other pet

Most coliving operators and hostels do not accept pets. A few allow small pets by prior agreement and for an extra fee.

Documents you need

• A coliving contract in your name, issued by the operator, to show you live at the address when you register on the padrón.
• The owner's authorization if you rent a room in a shared flat, so the town hall accepts the address.