Ourense residents protest rising rental costs and housing shortages

Hundreds of demonstrators, many of them young people, marched in Ourense to protest the housing crisis and advocate for housing rights. The protest occurred amid rising rental costs and concerns over evictions and the influence of investment funds on the local market.

Recent data from September indicates that rental prices in Ourense have reached historic highs, increasing by an average of 8.7% over the past year. For a standard 70-square-meter apartment, the average monthly rent has reached 609 euros, which represents approximately half of the average worker's salary in the city.

While prices in the province remain among the most affordable in Galicia, Ourense faces specific challenges due to an aging population and below-average income levels. The rental market shows significant disparities between different city districts, with price gaps exceeding 140 euros per month for properties of identical size.