In some parts of Spain, more than 100 families now end up competing for the very same flat. This turns the search for a rental home into a real scramble, according to fresh data from idealista’s rental market study.
More than 100 enquiries for a single flat
Vitoria has emerged as the most pressured city market in Spain, with an average of 111 enquiries for every rental listing before it disappears from the portal.
Guadalajara is not far behind, with an average of 95 interested families per listing, while Pamplona registers 90. In Lleida, each rental attracts around 75 enquiries, and in Zaragoza about 70. For newcomers, including foreign residents relocating for work or study, these numbers translate into a highly competitive environment in which securing a long‑term rental can take time and persistence.
Barcelona, Palma and Madrid among Spain’s toughest big‑city markets
Spain’s largest and most internationally known cities are also under strain in the long‑term rental market. Barcelona is the biggest market where competition is strongest, with 65 contacts per advert on average. In the Balearic capital Palma, each listing receives around 55 enquiries, while Madrid sees about 44 contacts per property.
Across Spain as a whole, rental listings on idealista received an average of 34 contacts in the final quarter of 2025, up from 30 a year earlier. That 14% rise in just twelve months underscores how quickly competition has intensified for tenants.
Smaller capitals where competition has almost doubled
The national headline masks even sharper shifts in some smaller provincial capitals. In eight cities, the number of families interested in each property has surged by more than 50% over the year.
Ciudad Real has seen the steepest increase, with competition almost doubling, up 98% compared with the same period of 2024. Soria follows with a 92% rise.
Among the larger cities, Barcelona and Málaga have both recorded annual jumps of 20% in competition per advert, followed by Bilbao with 17%, Palma with 15%, and Alicante with 12%.
Provincial extremes: Álava versus Cáceres, Salamanca and Badajoz
At the provincial level, the contrast between Spain’s most and least pressured markets is stark. Álava, whose capital is Vitoria, tops the provincial ranking with an average of 106 families competing for every rental listing. It is followed by Navarre with 92, Guadalajara province with 73, and Barcelona province with 68.
At the other end of the spectrum, some western provinces register only single‑digit or low double‑digit numbers of families per listing, a stark contrast with Álava, Navarre or the province of Barcelona.
Cities where the rental market is calmer
The same pattern is visible at city level. Cáceres is the least competitive market in the dataset, with an average of 7 contacts per advert. Salamanca and Badajoz register 10 contacts each, while Segovia and Granada both stand at 12.
Competition has also eased in a handful of locations over the past year. Teruel has seen a 26% decline in the number of families vying for each listing, Santa Cruz de Tenerife is down 15%, and Ávila 13%.
What this means for expats and foreign tenants in Spain
For English‑speaking expats and foreign workers heading to Spain, the data underlines the importance of location in shaping the rental experience.
- In hotspots such as Vitoria, Guadalajara, Pamplona, Barcelona, Palma, and Madrid, a single flat can attract very large numbers of candidates, making it harder for newcomers to secure housing quickly.
- In mid‑sized cities like Lleida, Zaragoza or Santander, demand has grown quickly, in some cases outpacing better‑known metropolitan centres
- In cities such as Cáceres, Salamanca, Badajoz or Teruel, competition is still noticeably lighter, at least for now.
All figures and market insights in this article are drawn from an idealista press release published on 27th January 2026.
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