The number of homes available for long-term rent on the Costa Blanca is shrinking.
In Alicante it has fallen by 8% over the past year, according to new data from property portal idealista.
The decline, recorded during the first quarter of 2026, is the largest among Spain’s major cities that are not subject to rent controls.
The figures highlight the ongoing pressure facing renters across the Costa Blanca, where finding a permanent home continues to become more difficult.
Alicante leads the decline
Among Spain’s largest cities without regulated rental prices, Alicante recorded the sharpest fall in long-term rental availability.
The city’s 8% drop was higher than those seen in Sevilla (-6%), València (-4%) and Málaga (-2%).
Meanwhile, rental supply remained stable in Madrid and increased by 3% in Palma.
The report also found significant reductions in many cities that have been declared zonas tensionadas (high-pressure housing areas), where rent controls apply.
Pamplona recorded a 39% fall in available long-term rentals, followed by A Coruña (-33%), San Sebastián (-28%) and Bilbao (-21%). Girona was the only major exception, reporting a 9% increase.
Seasonal rentals continue to grow
While long-term rental properties are becoming harder to find, seasonal rentals are taking up a larger share of the market.
In Alicante, temporary rental properties now account for 22% of all homes available to rent.
Although this is lower than in cities such as València (31%), Madrid (28%), Málaga (28%) and Sevilla (28%), it points to a growing shift away from traditional long-term lets.
Across Spain, temporary rentals, excluding holiday accommodation, now make up 27% of the rental market.
Long-term rentals continue to shrink nationwide
According to the report, the supply of long-term rental homes across Spain fell by 3% during the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
At the same time, the temporary rental sector grew by 22% year-on-year.
Idealista says the number of seasonal rental properties has increased by 78% overall during the period covered by its data.
Barcelona continues to have the highest proportion of temporary rentals, representing 55% of the city’s available rental stock. However, this figure has fallen from 64% following legislative changes introduced in Cataluña.
Other cities with a high percentage of temporary rental properties include San Sebastián (49%), Bilbao (44%), Cádiz (44%), Girona (41%) and Pamplona (41%).
Debate continues over housing policies
The latest figures are likely to add fuel to the ongoing debate about housing regulation in Spain.
Francisco Iñareta, spokesperson for idealista, believes restrictions on rental prices are contributing to a reduction in the number of properties available for long-term tenants.
He argues that some landlords are choosing to leave the traditional rental market altogether, reducing supply and making it harder for renters to find permanent accommodation.
Iñareta also suggested that recent restrictions on temporary rentals in Cataluña have had limited success. According to his assessment, although the number of seasonal rentals has fallen, many of those properties have not returned to the long-term rental market as lawmakers had hoped.
