# Spain housing affordability and poverty crisis

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/spain-housing-affordability-and-poverty-crisis
> Updated: 2026-10-22T10:01:04.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

In Ourense, residents and young people have staged protests against rising rental costs and housing shortages. Local data shows rental prices reached historic highs, with an average increase of 8.7% over the past year. In the city, average monthly rents for a standard apartment have reached 609 euros, approximately half of the average worker's salary.

On a national scale, an Oxfam Intermón report titled ‘When working is not enough’ indicates that housing expenses are pushing approximately three million workers in Spain below the poverty threshold. The report finds that while labor poverty affects 11.48% of the employed population, this figure rises to 15.49% once housing costs are deducted. The impact is most acute for market-rate renters, where the poverty rate increases from 19.35% to 34.08% after paying monthly rent.

## Claims

- Approximately three million workers in Spain live below the poverty threshold due to housing costs. (single source)
- Labor poverty affects 11.48% of employed people in Spain before housing costs. (single source)
- The poverty rate for market-rate renters rises to 34.08% after paying monthly rent. (single source)
- Labor poverty in Spain decreased by only 0.16 percentage points between 2022 and 2024. (single source)
- The poverty rate for mortgage payers increases from 7.77% to 10.22% after housing costs. (single source)
- 20.62% of part-time workers are affected by poverty. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-22: Oxfam report: Housing costs push 3 million workers into poverty in Spain

An Oxfam Intermón report states that housing costs in Spain push nearly three million workers below the poverty line, with renters facing a poverty rate of 34.08% after housing expenses.

10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/oxfam-report-housing-costs-push-3-million-workers-into-poverty-in-spain

### 2026-10-05: Ourense residents protest rising rental costs and housing shortages

Protesters in Ourense, Spain, demonstrated against rising rental costs, which have reached historic highs and now consume roughly half of the average local worker's salary.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ourense-residents-protest-rising-rental-costs-and-housing-shortages

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Cite as: Spain housing affordability and poverty crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/spain-housing-affordability-and-poverty-crisis