Cost of living and housing by region

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. With it, you can estimate your monthly costs in different places and judge how hard it will be to find a home there. Availability matters as much as price, so the pages look at both.

Start with "How much does it cost to live in different parts of Spain?" It gives the overall picture and what drives the difference. From there, go to the pages on rents, rental competition or property prices for the places you are weighing.

Key rules

• Deposit: The legal deposit for habitual residence housing is 1 month under Spanish law.
• Extra guarantee: On habitual-residence leases (the standard first 5 years, or 7 years if the landlord is a company), any additional guarantee beyond the one-month deposit is capped at two months' rent.
• Winter lets: Winter monthly lets in coastal and island resort areas are typically about 20–60 percent cheaper than summer rates, depending on the resort and the property.
• Income needed: Landlords commonly require tenant income of approximately three times the monthly rent.
• Barcelona tourist flats: Barcelona's roughly 10,000 tourist-flat licences will end without renewal by 15 November 2028, following the Catalan decree upheld in 2024.
• Main driver: Housing is the biggest reason costs differ between regions; groceries vary little.

Documents you may need

Identity and residence

• ID or passport — How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city

Income and work

• Your last 3 payslips — How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city
• An employment contract — How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city
• Your latest income tax return — How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city
• Recent bank statements showing savings or income — How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city

Other documents

• A reference from a previous landlord — How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city

Cost of living and housing by region: questions that cross several articles

Why do rent figures for the same city differ so much?

Listing sites show asking prices for new ads, while official figures come from actual contracts and are lower. Madrid flats, for example, are advertised at roughly 1,350-1,500 euros a month. Read "What rents look like by region and city in Spain" for the ranges, and "Are higher-cost regions worth it once local wages are counted?" to judge them against income.

Is renting a room cheaper than a flat in the big cities?

Yes, usually by a wide margin. A room costs about 450-650 euros in Madrid and 500-700 in Barcelona, and bills are often extra. "What rents look like by region and city in Spain" compares rooms and flats, and "How the cost gap between places changes for families, singles and retirees" shows who this suits.

Where do I pay a tourist premium, and on what?

Rent is hit hardest, followed by restaurants and hotels. Supermarket shopping shows little premium. The islands and the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca and Costa Brava often run 20-50% above the regional average, and restaurants in tourist squares are often 20-30% dearer. Read "How tourism and the seasons affect prices in coastal and island towns" next.

Can I save by renting at a resort out of season?

Yes. Winter monthly lets in coastal and island resort areas are typically about 20-60 percent cheaper than summer rates, depending on the resort and the property. See "How tourism and the seasons affect prices in coastal and island towns", then "How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city" if you want to stay longer.

Do tourist flats make it harder to find a long-term rental?

They can, especially in historic centres, where tourist flats can make up 15-25% or more of homes in Sevilla, Málaga and Valencia. Barcelona's roughly 10,000 tourist-flat licences will end without renewal by 15 November 2028. Read "How hard it is to find a long-term rental in each city" and "Overtourism and local backlash in Barcelona, Málaga and the islands".

Which numbers can I trust when comparing places?

Use official statistics for the big picture and listing sites for current asking prices. Real signed rents are published only in some regions, such as Catalonia. Numbeo-style sites are fine for everyday prices but rest on small samples. "How much does it cost to live in different parts of Spain?" explains how to combine them.

Rent and room figures are rough asking prices; check current listings for the city you are considering.