Rising Interest in Rental Housing
Between July and September 2025, the Spanish rental market saw a marked increase in people looking for apartments. According to research, the average number of inquiries per listing rose to 35, up 13% from the previous year. In 2024, there were 31 contacts for each property. This trend points to growing competition among tenants, especially in major cities.
Geographical Changes: Leaders and Laggards
Over the past year, most provincial capitals have seen a rise in families competing for the same apartment. The largest increase was recorded in Bilbao, where the number of applications jumped by nearly half. Interest in Palma grew by 22%, Alicante by 19%, Malaga by 13%, and Seville by 12%. In Madrid, the growth was more modest—4%, while Valencia and San Sebastián saw increases of 3% and 2%, respectively. Notably, only in Barcelona did competition decrease, by 3%.
At the same time, six cities saw a drop in the number of applicants per apartment. The most significant decline was in Ceuta—down 31%. In Cáceres, this indicator fell by 9%, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria by 3%, in Lugo and A Coruña by 2%, and in Barcelona by 3%. In ten capitals, demand for rentals more than doubled. In Lleida, the number of inquiries soared by 84%, in Burgos by 81%, in Logroño by 76%, in Ciudad Real by 75%, and in Melilla by 74%. Significant growth was also seen in Teruel, Palencia, Cuenca, Badajoz, and Zamora.
Cities with the Highest and Lowest Competition
Palma ranks first in the number of families competing for a single apartment, with 62 inquiries per listing. It is followed by Barcelona (58), Madrid (46), Bilbao (42), Malaga (33), and Valencia (32). In San Sebastián, Alicante, and Seville, the figure stands at 31, 31, and 30 respectively. Guadalajara recorded a record high of 106 inquiries per listing, Vitoria — 73, Pamplona — 72, Lleida — 63, and Zaragoza — 62. The lowest interest was observed in Cáceres, with only 8 inquiries, Salamanca with 10, Badajoz and Ceuta with 11 each.
By province, Guadalajara leads with 81 applications per property, followed by Navarra (76), Álava (71), Barcelona (63), Zaragoza (58), and Tarragona (53). The lowest competition is seen in Cáceres (9), Salamanca (10), and Badajoz (12).
Methodology and data sources
The analytics were prepared using data collected by a proptech company specializing in the real estate markets of Spain, Italy, and Portugal. The analysis used the company’s own databases as well as information from public and private sources. This approach provides an objective assessment of trends and supports decision-making in the rental housing market.
