Furnished or unfurnished: what a Spanish rental includes

Terms used

• amueblado — Amueblado means furnished: the flat comes with furniture and main appliances.
• semiamueblado — Semiamueblado means partly furnished, but what is included varies by flat.

Key rules

• Inventory: Get a detailed inventory attached to the contract, whether the flat is furnished or not.
• Semiamueblado: Treat it as meaningless until you have a written list of what stays.
• Unfurnished kitchen: Never assume appliances or lamps are included; ask at the viewing.
• Cost: Furnished costs more each month; unfurnished costs more upfront.

Furnished means you can move in with a bed, a sofa and a fridge. Unfurnished usually means an empty flat, sometimes with only the kitchen fitted.

What the labels mean in listings

Amueblado (furnished) usually includes beds, a sofa, a table and chairs, wardrobes and the main appliances: fridge, washing machine and oven. Kitchenware is often included too. The idea is that you can live there from day one.

Sin amueblar (unfurnished) is usually an empty flat, delivered with the equipped kitchen only. That is not always the case, so do not assume.

What to expect in the kitchen

In an unfurnished flat, ask at the viewing what stays: kitchen units, appliances, lamps. Get the answer written down.

If the flat is in the Valencian Community, homes must have a kitchen sink with hot and cold water and drainage. They must also have space and connections for a cooker, oven and fridge, and space for a dishwasher. That is space and connections, not necessarily the appliances themselves.

The cost trade-off

A furnished flat costs 10% to 20% more per month than a similar unfurnished one. As an illustration, a two-bedroom flat might be €1,150–1,350 a month furnished against €1,000–1,150 unfurnished.

Unfurnished means a lower rent, but you pay a significant amount upfront for furniture and appliances: one estimate is €1,800–3,500 for essential furniture only. Furnished saves that outlay and the hassle of selling or moving furniture later.

Which one suits you

• Furnished suits short or temporary stays: students, people on work assignments and newcomers staying 6–12 months. It is also easier to find in high-turnover cities such as Madrid and Barcelona.
• Unfurnished suits long stays, families and anyone who already owns furniture. Owning and personalising your home pays off over time.

Unfurnished listings are also fewer, so expect a smaller choice if you filter for them.

Furnished or not, the lease is a normal long-term lease: it lasts at least five years (seven if the landlord is a company), and after six months you can leave with 30 days' notice. A short fixed term needs a documented real reason; see From search to keys: how renting in Spain works and where you can't turn back.

Protect your fianza

An inventory, ideally with photos, records what is in the flat and its condition, which protects your fianza when you leave.

You can also ask the landlord to remove furniture you don't want, or to add basic furniture. Some owners will agree, usually for a higher rent. Agree it in writing before you sign.

Separate must-haves from trade-offs

For each need on your list, is it a must-have or a trade-off, and should you rent furnished or unfurnished?

• Treat the need as a must-have if the home fails it and you would walk away even if it were cheap and perfect otherwise. Put it in your search filters, check it at the viewing and get it written into the contract.
• Treat the need as a trade-off if you could live with it by paying a little more or accepting a longer commute. Use it to rank homes that already meet every must-have.

Then pick furnished or unfurnished based on how long you will stay and how much you want to spend upfront.