In recent months, the real estate market situation in the suburbs of Madrid and Barcelona has noticeably worsened. Housing prices in these areas are rising faster than the national average, making it nearly impossible for many families to afford to buy an apartment or house.
According to analysts, in the second quarter of 2025, the price per square meter in Madrid rose by 16.1% to reach €4,457. In Barcelona, the increase was 8.7%, with the average price reaching €4,116 per square meter. In some suburbs, such as Viladecans, the annual growth exceeded 10%.
The average property price in Spain now stands at €1,955 per square meter, which is almost half the price seen in the nation’s two largest cities. In the suburbs of Madrid, such as Móstoles and Pozuelo de Alarcón, prices have risen by 11.2%. Torrejón de Ardoz, Coslada, and Alcobendas have also seen increases of more than 10%.
Around Barcelona, in addition to Viladecans, significant price growth has been recorded in Vilanova i la Geltrú (8.4%), L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, and Granollers (both at 8.3%). In these municipalities, property prices have already surpassed those in Barcelona itself.
In the western and northern districts of Madrid, property prices range from €3,200 to €4,300 per square meter. In the eastern and southern suburbs, prices are lower—ranging from €1,800 to €2,900, except for Parla, where prices remain slightly below the national average.
In the Barcelona metropolitan area, the price range is even wider: from €1,544 per square meter in Manresa to €3,258 in Castelldefels. Prices above €3,000 per square meter are also seen in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Sant Just Desvern, and Montgat.
Along with rising prices, the so-called ‘effort rate’—the share of a household’s income spent on housing—is also increasing. In Madrid, this figure has reached almost 55%, and in Barcelona, 54.1%. This vastly exceeds the level of 30% recommended by experts.
In the suburbs of Barcelona, such as L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (40.9%), Sant Adria de Besòs (39.9%), Cornellà de Llobregat (38.7%), Badalona (36.6%), and Santa Coloma de Gramenet (36.4%), housing costs also surpass the provincial average.
Only seven out of 28 municipalities analyzed in Barcelona have an effort rate below 30%. Among them are Barberà del Vallès, Terrassa, Rubí, Sant Just Desvern, Manresa, Sant Cugat del Vallès, and Sant Quirze del Vallès.
In the Madrid metropolitan area, only four out of 17 cities do not exceed the threshold of 30% of income spent on housing. The most affordable remain Parla (28.3%), Pozuelo de Alarcón (27%), Rivas-Vaciamadrid (26.8%), and Las Rozas de Madrid (26.2%). In the remaining municipalities, such as Alcorcón (37.4%), Leganés (36.8%), Coslada (36.1%), Móstoles (36%), and Alcobendas (35.1%), housing expenses significantly exceed reasonable limits.
Experts note that the ongoing price increases and limited supply in the market continue to reduce housing affordability for residents of the Madrid and Barcelona suburbs. Demand for property in these regions remains high, despite the increasing financial burden on families.
