Rental prices in Spain continue to rise, although at a slower pace than in recent months.
According to the latest report from idealista, the average rent reached €15 per square metre in April, up 5.2% compared to the same month last year. Prices have increased by 0.4% over the last three months, while remaining stable compared to March.
Prices up in almost every city
Rents have gone up in nearly all provincial capitals over the past year, with just two exceptions: Barcelona, where prices have fallen by 7.6%, and Tarragona, down slightly by 0.4%.
Some of the biggest increases have been seen in smaller cities. Pontevedra leads with a 14% rise, followed by Ciudad Real (13.4%), Toledo (12.1%) and Huelva (10.8%).
In the main cities, the trend is also upward. Alicante has seen rents rise by 8.7%, Madrid by 8.6% and Valencia by 5.2%. Barcelona is the only major market where prices have dropped.
Madrid is now the most expensive city to rent, at €23.3 per square metre, followed by Barcelona (€22) and Palma (€19.1). At the other end, Zamora and Ourense remain the cheapest.
Following the pattern
Across the country, rents have increased in 49 out of 50 provinces, with Barcelona again the only one to record a fall.
The biggest provincial increases are in Lleida (14.7%), Toledo (12.5%) and Guadalajara (12.4%). Meanwhile, Cantabria, Girona and Navarra have seen only small rises.
At regional level, all areas except Catalonia have recorded year-on-year increases. Castilla-La Mancha leads with an 11.6% rise, followed by the Community of Madrid (9%) and the Valencian Community (8.1%).
Madrid remains the most expensive region to rent, with an average of €21.2 per square metre, followed by the Balearic Islands and Catalonia. Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha continue to offer the lowest rental prices.
