If you’re looking for a rental apartment in Barcelona, you already know it’s quite difficult to find one, that supply is very limited, that when you see an apartment you like and call, they usually tell you it’s already rented, and that rental ads disappear within hours or a few days. Now, according to a study by idealista.com, there are 61 applicants for every rental listing in Barcelona.
Barcelona isn’t the only city where you have to compete with many applicants to rent a home. For example, in Palma you compete with 57 applicants, in Madrid with 42, in Bilbao and San Sebastián with 37, and in Seville with 35. Only Valencia with 31 applicants, Málaga with 28, and Alicante with 25 are below the average.
Are prices still rising?
There are many applicants and, according to idealista data, the answer is yes: prices keep increasing month after month. The price per square meter in the city of Barcelona in May 2025 is €23.9 /m², up +0.7 % compared to April 2025 and +1.2 % compared to February. Comparing May 2025 with May 2024, the increase is +10.6 %.
The districts with the highest price per square meter are: Eixample at €26.6 /m², Ciutat Vella at €25.6 /m², and Sant Martí at €24.2 /m².
What causes and consequences does the high demand have?
The fact that there are 61 applicants for each rental apartment in Barcelona has several consequences:
The fact that there are 61 applicants for each rental apartment in Barcelona has several consequences:
- ● The difficulty of accessing housing for a large number of people.
- ● Landlords can choose tenants with higher incomes.
- ● Apartments stay on the rental market for very little time. Tenants close negotiations at record speed to secure the apartment, sometimes in less than 24 hours.
- ● Some apartments are never even advertised on rental portals and are rented through friends or acquaintances.
- ● Many potential tenants are leaning toward buying, but prices in the sales market also keep rising.
- ● Demand is beginning to move to the outskirts of the city and to nearby towns such as Manresa, Badalona, or Terrassa.
On the other hand, we must highlight several important circumstances:
- ● Due to rent caps, especially in high-pressure areas, many landlords have moved their properties to the tourist or seasonal market.
- ● Landlords fear situations such as illegal occupation of their homes or non-payment, so they decide to withdraw their properties from the rental market.
- ● Prices rise because of high demand and an ever-shrinking supply.
What steps can you take to find a rental apartment in Barcelona and get ahead of other applicants?
Facing 61 applicants and being chosen as the tenant is very challenging. Setting a good strategy to stand out can make all the difference. We suggest several ideas:
-
● Personalized letter. Prepare a brief personalized letter for the listing explaining why you want the apartment, your employment situation, and references from previous landlords. Consider what the landlord will value:
- ● Permanent employment contract and stable job situation.
- ● Salary high enough to pay the rent.
- ● Rent-payment guarantees you can offer (bank guarantee, security deposit, personal guarantor with solvency, or rent-guarantee insurance).
- ● Contract duration. Landlords look for stability, so it’s important that you can commit to a long-term lease.
- ● Listing aggregator. Use aggregators that compile listings from various real-estate portals. You’ll save time because you won’t need to check each portal separately.
- ● Alerts. Set specific alerts for areas and apartments with certain features so you can respond as soon as a listing is published.
- ● Expand your search area. Look at areas a bit farther from the center or nearby municipalities well connected to Barcelona that have lower prices.
- ● Prepare all documentation so it’s ready as soon as the landlord asks: ID copy, employment contract, recent payslips, income-tax return, VAT returns if you’re self-employed, etc.
- ● Offer a rent-payment guarantee such as a bank guarantee or rent-guarantee insurance. Landlords value these actions highly as they build trust, and non-payment is one of their main concerns.
- ● Visit apartments as soon as possible, the same day you see the listing, to increase your chances of being chosen.
- ● When you visit, bring paper copies of your documents to show the landlord or even leave a copy. Assess the area, transport links, access roads, and services (schools, parks, shopping centers, restaurants, pharmacies, etc.).
- ● Courtesy. It’s also important to be polite with the landlord and show genuine interest in the apartment to build trust.
- ● Stay informed. Keep up to date on rental assistance in Barcelona and Catalonia, regulatory changes, and rental-price trends.
- ● Look for social-media groups or WhatsApp/Telegram channels about rentals in Barcelona; landlords may advertise apartments there.
- ● Tell friends, family, and acquaintances you’re looking for a rental; often this uncovers apartments not on the market.
- ● Get help from real-estate consultants who specialize in Barcelona rentals to advise you on finding the home you need quickly and safely.
- ● Ask concierges, doormen, and shopkeepers in the neighborhood—and neighbors—if they know of any apartments for rent in the area you like.
- ● Change your approach and become the tenant every landlord wants. Create an ad with what you’re looking for, the area you want to rent in, your conditions, and what you offer.
- ● Choose months with fewer applicants. Typically, September has many students searching—July and August too. Pick months with less competition—perhaps late January or early May. Study the market to identify the best time.
In short, finding a rental apartment in Barcelona, as in other major Spanish cities, is not easy. Despite the legal measures taken, supply keeps shrinking and demand keeps growing.
It’s important to have professionals who can advise you and search for an apartment for you. Contact us, tell us what kind of apartment you need (location, size, number of rooms, areas), and we’ll look for the best opportunities so you can find the home you want to rent.
