In 2025, Spain’s room rental market is undergoing significant changes. Over the past year, the number of available rooms has grown by nearly a fifth, while the average rent has increased by 4% to reach €425 per month. Despite a broader supply, demand remains strong: more people are looking to rent rooms, indicating continued popularity of this housing option among both Spaniards and newcomers.
The market dynamic is uneven: some cities have seen a dramatic surge in room availability, while others have experienced sharp declines. At the same time, prices remain generally stable, though a few cities report steep increases or drops. Spain continues to surprise both renters and property owners with unexpected shifts in the rental sector.
Where rooms abound
Most Spanish provincial capitals have seen an increase in available rooms. Notably, Teruel has more than doubled its supply, as has Ávila. Segovia and Ourense have also seen room numbers double, while Zamora recorded an 80% rise. Among larger cities, Madrid gained 21% over last year’s figures and Barcelona is up 15%.
However, not everywhere is experiencing this boom. In Castellón de la Plana, available rooms have plunged by nearly half; in Pamplona, by 37%; in Huelva, by a third; and in Ceuta, by 31%. These cities have become outliers with notably fewer rooms to rent.
Prices and fluctuations
Nationwide, room rental prices have remained relatively stable, but some cities stand out from the general trend. In Zamora, prices jumped by 20%, in Teruel by 19%, and in Ourense, Segovia, and Oviedo by 17%. In Madrid, rent increased by 2%, while in Barcelona, on the contrary, it dropped by 3%.
The most significant price drop was recorded in Badajoz, where rental costs fell by 17%. In Alicante and Málaga, the decrease was 8% and 7% respectively, and in Valencia and Valladolid, it was 5% each. Thus, the geography of price changes is quite varied and not always predictable.
Expensive and affordable cities
Barcelona remains the most expensive city for renting a room, with an average price reaching 600 euros per month. Madrid follows closely at 575 euros, then Palma at 525 euros, San Sebastián at 500 euros, Málaga at 450 euros, and Bilbao at 440 euros. Cities where prices start from 400 euros include Pamplona, Vitoria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ceuta, and Girona.
At the other end of the spectrum are Badajoz, Ciudad Real, and Jaén, where a room costs just 250 euros. Slightly higher rates are found in Cáceres and Palencia, where the average price is 260 euros. These cities offer a real lifeline for those seeking affordable accommodation.
Competition for rooms
Demand for rooms continues to grow, with the number of applicants per room increasing by 3% over the past year. In some cities, competition has become truly fierce. In Castellón de la Plana, the number of applicants rose by 200%, in Huelva by 140%, in Zaragoza by 125%, in Pamplona by 111%, in Ceuta by 103%, and in Toledo by 77%.
At the same time, competition dropped by 39% in Ávila, by 14% in Barcelona, and by 11% in Madrid. This may indicate a saturated market or changing rental preferences in these cities.
Geography of the Rental Market
Half of all rooms for rent in the country are concentrated in five cities: Madrid (19% of the total), Barcelona (14%), Valencia (13%), Alicante (2%), and Granada (2%). The remaining 40 provincial capitals together account for only 12% of the total market volume.
This distribution clearly shows the concentration of demand and supply in the largest cities, where renting a room is not only a way to save money, but often the only real option for many students, young professionals, and newcomers.
