Spain's housing crisis shows little sign of improvement. With rents soaring, both locals and expats are being priced out of their homes. Some are forced to move further from city centers in search of affordable options, while others face the difficult decision to leave the country altogether. For many expats, the Spain they experience today feels far removed from the one they once embraced.
Housing under pressure
鈥淲hy is rent so high?鈥� 鈥淲here can I find an affordable home?鈥� These are the questions many expats keep asking. Caught between their wish to stay in Spain and the reality of rising housing costs, some are beginning to question whether it's worth it. Should they stay, or should they leave?
Even future expats are having second thoughts. On social media, a Belgian couple with a young child is openly wondering how they could possibly make life in Spain work. They're weighing two paths: starting a business or finding work in transport. But one concern overshadows everything: will they even be able to find a place to live? And are there any government initiatives to help foreigners secure housing?
Stay or go? Expats in limbo
The doubts expressed by this couple echo the concerns of many expats already living in Spain, now finding themselves priced out of their adopted home. On the 禁漫天堂 community forum, messages of encouragement and sympathy abound for those who feel forced to leave.
Paola is one such case. After three moves in just three years, she has made the difficult decision to return to France. For someone deeply attached to Spain, it feels like a heartbreak. 鈥淏ut it's just too difficult to find housing,鈥� she explains.
The uncertainty also weighs heavily on those hoping to buy property rather than rent. One European woman, a former U.S. immigrant and green card holder, is torn between staying in Spain or moving back to the United States. Her husband and child are American, and she chose Spain because she had lived there a decade ago. Yet less than a year into her return, she admits the country no longer feels the same.
鈥�Buying a house here is not nearly as easy as I thought [鈥 Prices are much higher than I expected鈥擨 guess I naively thought they'd be the same as ten years ago. It's also much harder to get a mortgage as a foreigner if you don't have several years of tax history here.鈥�
Immigration rules further complicate her situation. If she stays in Spain, she risks losing her Green Card. And if she or her husband were to lose their jobs, the family's financial security would be at stake. With so much uncertainty, she wonders if it might be safer to return to the U.S., at least until she secures American citizenship.
A crisis with no end in sight
Demand for housing keeps climbing, but supply falls far short. Spain adds only around 100,000 new homes each year, while demand grows by nearly 300,000. The imbalance is driving prices to new heights.
Over the past decade, average rents have surged by 80%. Housing costs are rising across Europe, but the problem is particularly acute in Spain.
The reasons are no mystery: construction costs have soared since the pandemic due to pricier raw materials and energy; speculative investment, often from foreign buyers, has accelerated; short-term rentals have boomed; and bureaucratic hurdles continue to slow new developments.
The outcome is clear. In cities like Madrid and Barcelona, rents have hit record levels, pushing both locals and expats out of once-accessible neighborhoods now reshaped by gentrification.
Tensions are rising. Many Spaniards blame foreigners for inflating prices. Expats, who face the same struggles, feel unfairly singled out. They denounce the transformation of tourist hubs into enclaves for the wealthy and short-term renters. Stagnant wages only worsen the squeeze, making rising rents even harder to shoulder.
Authorities are trying to respond. New policies include rent caps, higher taxes on non-EU property investors, and restrictions on Airbnb-style rentals. In Barcelona, early results are promising: rents dropped by about 8% after the first controls took effect. The city has also pledged to ban all Airbnb listings by 2028, potentially returning 10,000 units to the traditional rental market.
What should you expect when moving to Spain?
Spain's housing crisis hasn't put a stop to new arrivals. For every expat deciding to leave, another still chooses to move in. Yet those leaving have a clear warning for newcomers: Madrid and Barcelona are not all that Spain has to offer.
Because housing is one of the biggest expenses, choosing the right place to settle is critical. Still, many expats flock to large, tourist-friendly cities, convinced they'll have better job prospects there. But the real question remains: at what cost?
Seasoned expats tend to offer the same advice: plan your relocation carefully and think twice about where you settle. Another key piece of guidance is to learn Spanish. Speaking the language not only improves job opportunities but also makes navigating the rental market much easier.
That doesn't mean fluency is necessary鈥攅ven basic skills can go a long way in finding accommodation and easing the transition. Still, language alone can't guarantee success. The housing market remains unpredictable, leaving expats with a difficult choice in the end: adapt, leave, or adjust their expectations.
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