Average property listing in Spain receives 41 enquiries

Finding an apartment to rent in Spain has become increasingly more competitive, according to new data published by property rental and purchasing platform Idealista. Between January and March of 2026, each new listing posted on the platform for rent received an average of 41 interested renters, representing 17 per cent more than in the first quarter of last year.

Additionally, large cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and San Sebastian receive even greater numbers of applicants per listing. The largest increases compared to the same period of last year were observed in Barcelona and San Sebastian, which have gone from an average of 61 and 37 enquiries per property to 99 and 45, respectively.

The most competitive city to rent in Spain

According to Idealista, Barcelona is the provincial capital with the most competition among tenants. Following it are Palma, with an average of 69 applicants per listing, Madrid, with 47, San Sebastian, with 45, and Bilbao, with 42, all outpacing the national average. In the major Costa del Sol hub of Malaga, a similar spike in demand has been noted on Idealista’s website, rising from an average of 28 interested renters in January to March, to 34 in the same period of 2026.

Valencia, spiking demand and prices on the Costa del Sol

As a whole, the Costa del Sol has also seen a spike in the number of interested parties per listing, with Valencia’s average rising to 35. Sevilla’s average of 34 interested parties, on the other hand, is among the only three cities in Spain where the situation has actually eased slightly in the last year, along with Avila and Caceres.

Additionally, in February 2026, the major hub of Valencia reached an all-time high for the price of housing, with a purchase price of €3,340 per square metre, a number that is projected to continue climbing.

Caceres, in the region of Extremadura, is actually the city where Idealista registers the fewest enquiries, with just 9 per listing. Following it are Salamanca, with 13, Badajoz, with 14, and Segovia and Jaen, with 16 each.

Average rental prices now the highest ever recorded

These numbers come amid a time of strain for the rental markets of many Spanish cities. According to the data released by Idealista, average prices per square metre of rental properties are now the highest ever recorded, at €15 per square metre. Renting a 70-square-metre flat costs some €1,050 per month in many areas of Spain, though in major cities and hubs like Madrid and Barcelona, the numbers skyrocket even further.

Madrid tops the list: The priciest city to rent in March 2026

In particular, the Spanish capital of Madrid topped the list as the most expensive city to rent a flat in March 2026, with the average price per square metre reaching an astonishing €23.20, translating to an average of €1,624 for a 70-square-metre flat. In Madrid, prices have risen by 9.4 per cent compared to the same period of last year.

In Barcelona, on the other hand, the price per square metre has fallen by 3.7 per cent, settling at €22.60 per square metre.