Imagine if you could get paid just for deciding to settle in a particular Spanish village. In some corners of Spain, it’s become a genuine offer. A steady trickle of locals towards the cities has left many rural areas nearly deserted. This has given rise to the sort of ghost towns you stumble across on a weekend hike. The lack of inhabitants means scarce resources, fewer services, and local councils now pulling out all the stops to tackle depopulation.
Several Spanish municipalities have rolled out tempting schemes offering cash grants, free land in Spain for new builds, or even a job if you move in. It’s an intriguing route for anyone searching for a different lifestyle and a real chance to get paid to move to Spain. It’s not usually a case of bagging abandoned villages in Spain for free, but you’ll still find some of the best places to live in rural Spain dangling tidy incentives to attract newcomers.
Olmeda de la Cuesta, Cuenca
Tucked into the rolling hills of Cuenca, Olmeda de la Cuesta is a historic village. To fight back against the slide towards becoming a ghost village, the local council has taken a bold step and put plots of land up for auction at temptingly low prices.
Auction prices for these plots have ranged from as little as €200 to around €1,300 for parcels up to 205 m². The main rule is straightforward: anyone buying a plot has to build a home or business within the first few years. The mayor has been upbeat about the scheme, pointing out that some plots even come with natural caves that could be used as quirky wine cellars.
However, it's important to be aware that these plots are auctioned in specific calls rather than through a continuous incentive scheme.
A Xesta, Pontevedra
A Xesta in the province of Pontevedra is a tiny rural spot where the population has been dwindling for years. To breathe life back into the village, local initiatives have seen properties offered for rent at strikingly low prices—sometimes reportedly starting at €100 a month.
While deals at €100 a month do crop up, they’re rare and tend to go quickly. Looking beyond the headlines, most newcomers will find that rural Galicia still offers one of the best value-for-money options anywhere in Spain, especially when weighing up space, scenery, and peace of mind.
Rubiá, Galicia
In the Galician province of Ourense, the council of Rubiá launched a package of measures to attract new residents and counter rural depopulation. With a population of around 1,400 people, the municipality was offering a monthly grant of between €100 and €150 to those who chose to settle there.
The financial incentive was complemented by a social rental programme, with municipal homes available from €50 a month, making access to housing markedly more affordable for eligible newcomers. The council has also introduced a rural employment plan to create jobs for unemployed residents and support people who want to build a future in the area.
However, the grant offer does not seem to be currently active, so it's worth staying up to date with the latest news.
Griegos, Aragón
In the Sierra de Albarracín in Teruel, the village of Griegos has tried to counter depopulation and keep its school open with a headline-grabbing offer for families. The council launched a scheme providing three months of free rent, followed by a monthly rent of €225, with a €50 reduction for each school‑age child in the household.
The initiative was targeted at a limited number of families and ran for a specific call for applications, so it may not currently be open.
Almadrones, Castilla-La Mancha
Almadrones, a small municipality with around 60–70 registered residents, sits roughly an hour’s drive from Madrid. In an effort to tackle depopulation, the local economy has received a boost from a recruitment drive by the private firm Rebollo y Díaz. In 2024, they were offering jobs in the area with salaries of €1,100 to €1,600 a month, free housing and full board.
The initiative is designed to attract workers willing to settle in Almadrones on a more stable basis and help sustain local activity. The positions are standard jobs with Rebollo y Díaz S.A., with annual pay that can reach around €22,000, alongside the in‑kind benefits of accommodation and meals.
Ponga, Asturias
Located in the green hills of Asturias in northern Spain, Ponga’s population has dipped over the decades, as younger residents moved away in search of work and city life. In the early 2010s, Ponga’s council introduced a short‑lived incentive programme offering €3,000 to couples who settled in the municipality and a further €3,000 for each child born and registered there. The scheme ran from 2013 and was discontinued after only a couple of years.
However, it’s important to note that reports of these incentives surface periodically, but the actual schemes can be patchy. As of 2026, these grants no longer exist, and no new applications are being accepted, with the idea that Ponga still pays such sums described as an online rumour that resurfaces periodically.
Other initiatives
Across Spain, a growing number of rural municipalities are experimenting with measures to slow or reverse depopulation.
One national‑level example is the HolaPueblo project, which connects small municipalities seeking residents with people who want to launch businesses and start a new life in the countryside. The village of Paymogo has offered cheap housing and job roles in the past as part of the HolaPueblo initiative.
How to apply
Thinking about taking the plunge and applying for one of these rural repopulation schemes in Spain?
Start by scoping out local council websites directly. Some schemes are run with private firms, so you’ll want to keep an eye on company pages and regional news.
You’ll need a valid passport and to apply for a Spanish NIE number. For land auctions or property schemes, expect to register your interest, meet any eligibility requirements, and, once selected, sign on the dotted line. It’s wise to check deadlines closely, as some rural incentive programmes only run in set windows or until funds run out.