Finding a rental
You will know where Spanish rentals are found, what they cost, how to time and run a search, and how to judge a flat before you commit.
Finding a rental in Spain runs from the first listing to the keys. This topic covers where long-term rentals are advertised, what rent costs, which fees an agent can charge, how to search from abroad and when to be in Spain, what to check at a viewing, what you can negotiate, furnished or…
Pick the article that fits your situation
How the Spanish rental market works
Explains where Spanish flats are advertised, who you will deal with (portals, agencies, private owners), how fast the market moves and which lease terms you can negotiate. For anyone about to start a rental search in Spain.
Searching for a rental from abroad and timing it
How early to start a rental search from abroad, which steps you can do online, and when you need to be in Spain or have someone there for you. For newcomers who have not yet arrived.
What rent really costs in Spanish cities
A realistic way to set a monthly rent budget for a Spanish city: what rents look like, which costs come on top of the advertised rent, and how to check a specific address. For newcomers who are about to start searching.
Estate agents (inmobiliarias) and the fees they can charge
Explains what estate agents do in a rental, who pays their fees, and which extra charges in listings you can refuse. For anyone renting a home in Spain through an agency, including how to add any lawful charge to your cost comparison.
What to check when viewing a Spanish flat
How to judge a Spanish rental flat in one short viewing: confirm the person showing it can legally rent it, check the listing matches reality, and test damp, noise, light and utilities. For anyone about to view flats.
Furnished or unfurnished: what a Spanish rental includes
Explains what "furnished" and "unfurnished" usually mean in Spanish rental listings, what a kitchen and appliances may or may not include, and how the choice affects cost. For anyone choosing a flat before viewings.
Finding a family-sized rental in Spain
A realistic plan for families looking for a larger rental in Spain: how much space and which layout to look for, how to widen the search, what it costs and how to get through landlord screening.
From search to keys: how renting in Spain works and where you can't turn back
A map of the whole rental process in Spain for someone renting a long-term home: the three gates, the order of steps, what to do when a flat fails a check, and the point where you become tied to a flat. Read it before you start searching.
What you can negotiate in a Spanish rental
Shows which parts of a Spanish rental you can bargain over and which are fixed by law. Explains how to turn flat defects into written requests, how to confirm agreements and get the full contract, and why you should never pay just to keep talking.
Renting with children: what changes
Pick the school area first, then the flat, and register on the padrón at the new address before you apply, because catchment uses the padrón address. A child who arrives mid-year is placed by the regional education office, and the place is kept.
Finding an accessible home as a family: what changes
This version is for families with children who also need an accessible home.
Viewing a flat with accessibility needs: what changes
This version is for people who need step-free access or other accessibility features.
About this topic
After reading, you will know where rentals are found, what they cost, how to time and run a search, and how to judge a flat before you commit.
Start with From search to keys: how renting in Spain works and where you can't turn back. It shows the whole path first, so you can see the order of the steps and the points where you cannot turn back.
Key rules
- Fianza and guarantee: The fianza is one month's rent, and an extra guarantee can be at most two months' rent in contracts of up to five years (seven if the landlord is a company).
- Paying and signing: Do not pay or sign at a viewing, and do not pay anything just to keep a negotiation going. Never pay a deposit or reservation after only a video call unless the agency or landlord is verified and the account is in their name, after you have the draft contract. The signs of a rental scam are on the viewing page.
- Nationality: The same lease law applies to EU citizens, UK citizens with Withdrawal Agreement rights and non-EU citizens; landlords set their own income proof.
Finding a rental: the whole process, step by step
From first search to keys
- Learn the market and set a rent budget. Read How the Spanish rental market works and What rent really costs in Spanish cities.
- Start searching one to two months before you move. Browse the portals, save alerts and contact landlords. From abroad, read Searching for a rental from abroad and timing it. Decide between furnished and unfurnished with Furnished or unfurnished: what a Spanish rental includes.
- If you have children, check school admission dates before you choose a home. Admission for the next school year runs in spring, so the address matters well before September. See Renting with children: what changes.
- View flats yourself or through someone you trust. Good listings in Madrid and Barcelona can go within hours or days, so reply fast. What to check when viewing a Spanish flat lists the checks. Someone in your household with accessibility needs should use Viewing a flat with accessibility needs: what changes.
- Check any agent's charges before you pay. The landlord pays agency and formalisation fees, however they are renamed. See Estate agents (inmobiliarias) and the fees they can charge.
- Negotiate rent, start date and what is included, and put what you agree in writing. Do this after a viewing you like and before you pay or sign. See What you can negotiate in a Spanish rental.
- Pay a reservation only against a written document, after you have verified the owner and read the full contract. Never pay at the viewing.
- Sign the contract and pay the fianza, one month's rent. Signing is the point of no return: you then have no right to leave in the first six months, and after that 30 days' notice is enough.
- If a flat fails your checks, go back to viewing and keep searching. You can do this at any point before you pay or sign.
Documents you may need
- Your ID (passport or NIE), recent payslips and your employment contract. Documents Spanish landlords ask newcomer tenants for has the full list a landlord asks for.
- Your vida laboral (work history record), your latest tax return and references from previous landlords, if the landlord asks.
- From the owner: a nota simple, the title deeds or the IBI receipt, and the energy certificate: What to check when viewing a Spanish flat.
- The full draft contract, read in full before you pay: What you can negotiate in a Spanish rental.
- A written reservation document and a receipt for any reservation payment: Estate agents (inmobiliarias) and the fees they can charge.
Places and figures
Rents differ a lot between regions and cities. These are the published figures for a 70 m² flat; each place page has the full picture.
Rent for a 70 m² flat, by region
| # | Place | Rent for a 70 m² flat | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Extremadura | €349 a month | 2024 |
| 2 | Región de Murcia | €376 a month | 2024 |
| 3 | Galicia | €404 a month | 2024 |
| 4 | Castilla-La Mancha | €410 a month | 2024 |
| 5 | La Rioja | €414 a month | 2024 |
| 6 | Castilla y León | €418 a month | 2024 |
| 7 | Comunitat Valenciana | €443 a month | 2024 |
| 8 | Principado de Asturias | €464 a month | 2024 |
Data as of .
Rent for a 70 m² flat, by city
| # | Place | Rent for a 70 m² flat | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LinaresAndalucía | €292 a month | 2024 |
| 2 | AlcoyComunitat Valenciana | €315 a month | 2024 |
| 3 | EldaComunitat Valenciana | €315 a month | 2024 |
| 4 | FerrolGalicia | €333 a month | 2024 |
| 5 | LorcaRegión de Murcia | €337 a month | 2024 |
| 6 | Vila-realComunitat Valenciana | €341 a month | 2024 |
| 7 | LugoGalicia | €341 a month | 2024 |
| 8 | OrihuelaComunitat Valenciana | €342 a month | 2024 |
Data as of .
What to read next
More in Renting and tenant reality
Signing a lease and upfront costs
You will know what you are signing, what it costs on day one and how to protect your deposit and condition evidence.
Leaving a rental and deposit return
You will know how to leave cleanly, what notice and penalty apply and how to recover your deposit.
Lease types, rooms and shared flats
You will know which contract regime applies to you and what protection it gives, including rooms and shared homes.
Also in Housing and where to live
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.