The Balearic town of Santa Eulalia del Río had the highest average free housing prices in the first quarter of the year, at €4,682 per square metre, while Villarrobledo (Albacete), at €593 per square metre, is the cheapest town in Spain among towns with more than 25,000 inhabitants.
According to statistical data from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma) gathered by the Europa Press agency, together with Santa Eulalia del Río, two other towns exceeded €4,000 per square metre in the first quarter: San Sebastian (€4,509) and Ibiza (€4,187).
Not far behind the €4,000 per square metre mark are the Barcelona towns of Sitges (€3,949) and Sant Cugat del Valles (€3,947) and the Balearic town of Calvia at €3,917 per square metre.
At the other end of the scale, with the lowest prices, are the municipalities of Villarrobledo (Albacete) at €593 per square metre; Tomelloso (Ciudad Real), at €612; Hellín (Albacete) at €613 per square metre, and Puertollano (Ciudad Real) at €616.
Also with figures below €700 per square metre are the Alicante towns of Petrer (€664) and Villena (€667); the Murcian town of Yecla (€680); the towns of Villanueva de la Serena (Badajoz) and Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real) – both at €686 per square metre – and the Murcian town of Jumilla (€688), and Elda (Alicante) at €692.
El Campello (Alicante) sees its prices soar by 20% in one year
According to Mitma data for towns with more than 25,000 inhabitants, El Campello (Alicante), has seen the biggest rise in prices in the first quarter compared to the same period in 2022, with an increase of 20.3%, to €2,198 per square metre.
It is followed by Sagunto, (Valencia), with a year-on-year increase of 18.1%, to €982 per square metre; Puerto de la Cruz (Tenerife), with a rise of 18%, to €2,023 per square metre; and Manacor, (Balearic Islands), with a year-on-year increase in the first quarter of 17.4%, to €1,833.
In contrast, the largest decreases in the average evaluated free housing prices were in Valdepeñas (Ciudad Real), with a drop of 11.2% over the first quarter of 2022, to €686 per square metre, and Hellin (Albacete), where the price fell by 10.7% year-on-year, to €613 per square metre.
They are followed by the A Coruña town of Naron, with a fall of 9.4%, to €814 per square metre, and Petrer, in Alicante, with a year-on-year decrease of 8.8%, to €664.
Average rise of 3.1% nationwide
Nationally, the average free housing price rose by 3.1% in the first quarter of the year, to €1,788.4 per square metre, the highest figure since the last quarter of 2010, when it reached €1,825.5 per square metre.
Although in the first quarter the year-on-year growth rate moderated by two-tenths of a percentage point compared to the previous quarter, from 3.3% to 3.1%, the average free housing price increased by 2.2% quarter-on-quarter (Q1 2023 over Q4 2022).
The average value per square metre of free housing up to five years old stood at €2,112.1 between January and March, 6.6% higher than in the same period in 2022, while free housing over five years old rose by 3% year-on-year, to €1,778.1 per square metre.
By autonomous region, the highest year-on-year increases in free housing prices during the first quarter were in the Balearic Islands, with a rise of 7.8%, to €2,803 per square metre; Andalusia (+4.8%, €1,466 per square metre); the Canary Islands, where the price rose by 4.7%, to €1,670 per square metre, and Madrid, which increased by 4.6%, to €2,978 per square metre.
Madrid was the region with the highest price, followed by the Balearic Islands (€2,803 per square metre); the Basque Country (€2,541 per square metre) and Catalonia (€2,186 per square metre). In contrast, the lowest prices were in Extremadura (€880 per square metre); Castile-La Mancha (€929); Murcia (€1,049) and Castile and Leon (€1,057).