Buying a home in Spain has become a test of income and geography. A recent study by Accumin Intelligence puts the average net monthly salary needed to buy a typical home without exceeding a 35% mortgage burden at €1,999. But that figure masks a dramatic divide: in Madrid, Barcelona, and San Sebastián, the required income exceeds €4,000, reshaping who can afford to buy.
San Sebastián tops the list, requiring a net monthly income of €5,074 to purchase a standard 100-square-meter property. Madrid follows at €4,574, with Barcelona close behind at €4,485. These three cities are the only ones where the required income is more than double the national average, reflecting pressure in urban housing markets.
Outside these hotspots, the figures remain daunting. Buyers in Getafe need €2,950 net per month; in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, €2,896; and in Badalona, €2,705. Marbella, Palma de Mallorca, and Bilbao each exceed €3,000. The thresholds in Valencia and Seville are €2,675 and €2,566, respectively. Under the study’s criteria, fourteen of the sixty cities analyzed now require more than €2,500 net per month to buy a home.
The contrast with Spain’s less pressured markets is striking. In Zamora, a net monthly income of €1,279 is enough, nearly four times less than in San Sebastián. Lugo, Ciudad Real, and Palencia all fall below €1,350. Along the coast, Benidorm requires €2,813, while Castellón requires €1,338. Murcia and Almería remain among the most accessible, at €1,526 and €1,727, respectively. For many, looking beyond the major cities is the only realistic path to homeownership.
Accumin’s calculations use a standard scenario: a 100-square-meter home, an 80% mortgage, and a French amortization system, with the monthly payment capped at 35% of net income. This reflects the lending criteria used by Spanish banks, which rarely finance more than 80% of a property’s value and typically set the debt-to-income ceiling at 30 to 35%. Buyers must also cover the down payment, taxes, and transaction costs from their own savings.
Recent data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE) also shows the scale of the challenge. In May 2026, 42,213 new mortgages were signed, with an average loan amount of €174,866, up nearly 10% year-on-year. The average interest rate for new loans stood at 2.98%. Together, these figures show how rising prices and stricter lending standards are reshaping the market.
The gap between cities shapes real lives. As housing costs outpace salaries in major urban centers, more young professionals are forced to reconsider their options. For example, the story of Ana Ramos, a 25-year-old who returned to her parents’ home after rent became unaffordable illustrates how even stable employment no longer guarantees independence in Spain’s most expensive cities.
The salary calculated by Accumin covers only the mortgage payment, not the full cost of buying a home. Prospective buyers still need impressive savings for the down payment and additional expenses. The study’s figures offer a comparison between cities, but the actual barrier to homeownership is often higher.
