In 2025, the average monthly rent for an apartment in Barcelona is €908, while the average mortgage payment is €816. These amounts differ from prices commonly found on popular real estate websites or in official reports by the Catalonian government. The figures were collected through a large-scale survey of 12,000 city households.
Rental costs vary greatly depending on the district. In Nou Barris, tenants pay around €695, while in the upscale Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, rents reach €1,272. Mortgage payments also differ: from €631 in Sant Andreu to €1,195 in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi. Over the past decade, ownership patterns have shifted: while most residents used to be homeowners, now the share of renters has risen to 43.6%, and owners make up 51%. The rest occupy homes through other arrangements: for free, in shared rooms, through cooperative models, or by staying in vacant apartments.
A third of homeowners are still paying off their mortgages. Among renters, two-thirds have signed fixed-term contracts for five or seven years, 4% have short-term leases, and 22% have open-ended agreements. The higher a family’s income, the more likely they are to own their home: in the top segment, 58.3% are owners, while among low-income households, renting prevails (53.2%). Three-quarters of foreigners rent their homes, as do more than half of single-parent families and people living alone under 65. Interestingly, almost 60% of renters would prefer to own their apartment, but currently cannot afford it.
The average apartment size in the city is almost 80 square meters, but in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi it reaches 109, while in Nou Barris it is just 68.5. Upscale districts are more likely to have apartments with two bathrooms, while less affluent areas typically have just one. Elevators are not universal: 43% of buildings lack them, and in older neighborhoods like Ciutat Vella, this figure rises to 70%. Accessibility issues for wheelchair users persist: 70% of apartments are not equipped for this, with the situation worst once again in Ciutat Vella.
Almost all apartments are equipped with mobile service, a washing machine, internet, and a television. A dishwasher is found in just over half, and every other resident owns a private car. Private health insurance is about equally common. There are also disparities in heating and insurance across districts: conditions in Nou Barris and Ciutat Vella are noticeably worse than in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi.
