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Madrid and Barcelona face severe shortage of affordable rental housing
An analysis by the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) reveals a scarcity of affordable housing in Spain's major cities. In Madrid, only 13 rental properties are currently listed for less than 700 euros per month. In Barcelona, that number drops to just nine listings.
The OCU uses 700 euros as a sustainability threshold, representing 35% of a 2,000 euro net monthly salary. While 543 listings in Madrid fall under the 1,000 euro threshold, nearly 30% of these are short-term rentals, which do not provide the stability of the five-year minimum required by the Urban Leasing Law. In Barcelona, the prevalence of temporary rentals is even higher, accounting for 84% of the identified supply.
Separately, the residual market of 'old rent' contracts—agreements signed before May 1985—is estimated to represent less than 3% of the total market. These contracts, primarily located in central Madrid and Barcelona, offer rates significantly below current market prices but are increasingly rare due to legislative changes like the 1985 'Boyer Decree' and the 1994 Urban Leasing Law.
Entities
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Barcelona, 84% of identified rental listings are temporary rentals. www.moncloa.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A monthly rent of 700 euros is considered sustainable as it represents 35% of a 2,000 euro net salary. www.moncloa.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In Barcelona, only nine rental properties are listed for under 700 euros per month. www.moncloa.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 30% of rental listings in Madrid are short-term rentals. www.moncloa.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Only 13 rental properties in Madrid are advertised for less than 700 euros per month. www.moncloa.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Old rent contracts represent less than 3% of the Spanish rental market. www.lavanguardia.com