Two-thirds of Barcelona renters spend more than 30% of income on housing

Nearly 65% of renters in Barcelona spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities, according to a new study by the Urban Research Institute of Barcelona (IDRA).

The study further reveals that one in three households devotes over 50% of their income to housing costs. Among individuals living alone, half spend more than 50% of their income on rent.

The study highlights that Spain’s rental market is marked by “residential insecurity,” contrasting it with major European countries like France, Germany, and the Netherlands, where indefinite rental agreements have been “the norm for decades.”

To address these issues, the report recommends eliminating temporary rental agreements and imposing limits on short-term rentals, including tourist apartments and co-living spaces.

Additionally, the study calls for the introduction of indefinite rental contracts and the implementation of “effective” rent price regulations that align with renters’ actual financial capacities.

The report also reveals that nine out of ten renters lack protection against “invisible evictions” and sharp, “abusive” rent increases.

In fact, 47% of households expressed uncertainty about their ability to remain in their current homes over the next six months.

Meanwhile, the supply of short-term rentals has surged by 55% this year, while the availability of long-term rental properties has declined by 15%.

The study also revealed that 80% of renters in Barcelona have moved flats within the last five years, with four in ten having relocated two or more times during this period. This highlights the significant "residential insecurity" experienced by renters, according to the study.

This trend increasingly impacts older individuals, with half of renters aged 35 to 64 having changed flats within the last five years. This group includes families with children, which carries "significant implications" for stability, schooling, and the sense of rootedness for the children involved.

To learn more about Barcelona's housing crisis, listen to this episode of our podcast Filling the Sink.