After 15 years in the same Barcelona apartment, Ada Colau moved out this autumn because she could no longer afford the rent on her salary alone. She separated from her partner four years ago and tried to keep up the payments by herself, but could not. On September 29, 2026, she confirmed to several Spanish media outlets that she had left the flat and moved in with a relative, after discussing the move on La2’s Cafè d’Idees.
“I had to leave and move in with a family member,” Colau said. She offered no further details about her new living situation. Her story reflects what many single-income households face in Spain’s big cities. She said she first moved into the apartment with her partner and two children. After the breakup, she had to cover the rent alone, which became impossible.
Colau is not alone, but few public figures speak so openly. She said the rental market expects two earners per home. “The market always assumes two people with salaries will live in a home. The moment you separate, you can’t afford it,” she said. This hits women hardest. Colau linked her own struggle to Barcelona’s wider housing crisis, saying the system is built for couples, not singles. Several Spanish outlets reported her comments.
As mayor, Colau started with a salary of 2,200 euros per month, in line with Barcelona en Comú’s ethical code. Part of her pay went to party projects. Later, the party raised salaries for top officials, citing the extra costs of public office, including childcare and household help. Colau’s pay rose by 40%. Even then, after her separation, she could not afford to live alone. She is listed as president of the Sentit Comú foundation, linked to Comuns, and recent reports say her current income comes from this role, not city hall.
On Cara al Show, Colau said she had just moved. She estimated that she had “gifted” 200,000 euros in rent to landlords over the years. She also gave up more than 400,000 euros in salary and allowances to her party. Reflecting on her choices, she said: “I think I have the talent to have become rich if that was my goal, but I chose to participate in collective projects.”
The OCU says that even with a net income of 2,000 euros per month, it is difficult for a single person to rent an apartment in Barcelona, and listings below 700 euros are almost nonexistent. Colau’s experience reflects a wider squeeze on people with steady jobs and public profiles. Ordinary tenants face similar difficulties, with some residents in earlier reported cases facing eviction or fighting to keep their homes. A review based on the city’s Pla Viure plan found that 43.6% of Barcelona households rent, nearly half the city.
Colau has said little about her political future, though she has hinted at a possible run in national elections. For now, her focus is on housing and social policy. “Right now, I am not a candidate for anything,” she said. She also made clear that she wants to stop what she called “fascism” from taking power in Spain. On RTVE, Colau called the eviction of Maricarmen a “collective failure” and urged stronger renter protections and longer rental contracts.
When a former mayor cannot afford to live alone in Barcelona, the housing crisis reaches beyond people on low incomes. Information from Euronews, citing Idealista, the average asking rent in Spain reached 15.1 euros per square meter in August 2026, up 5.8% from a year earlier.
