The growing challenges of renting for young Spaniards
Rental market
Fecha: marzo 2026
Desiderio Romero-Jordán
SEFO, Spanish and International Economic & Financial Outlook, V. 15 N.º 2 (March 2026)
In Spain, renting has become the default option for young adults leaving the parental home, with nearly 50% of under-35s now living in rental housing. Large urban areas host the largest share of young renters, accounting for six out of ten households. At the same time, rental costs, including service charges and utilities, have risen sharply, absorbing roughly 35% of household expenditure and leaving many young adults financially stretched. Non-European immigrant households have also grown to represent more than 40% of young renters over the past decade and are often exposed to the highest levels of financial strain. Additionally, rent overburdening varies significantly based on autonomous community, generally affecting densely populated, wealthy, or touristic regions such as Catalonia, the Basque Country and the Balearic Islands more than less dense and lower-demand regions. Taken together, close to 60% of young renters nationwide continue to devote more than 30% of their spending to housing, highlighting the depth and persistence of Spain’s rental affordability problem.