Spain's housing affordability crisis continues to worsen. In 2025, the financial effort Spaniards had to make to rent a home hit a new record: 50% of the average gross salary went on rent, compared with 47% in 2024.
According to a study based on data from InfoJobs and Fotocasa, the rise in rental prices once again far outstripped wage growth. While advertised salaries increased by barely 1% over the past year, the cost of rented housing went up by 6.9%, reaching 14.21 euros per square metre per month.
Taking an 80-square-metre flat as a reference, the average annual rent rose to 13,642 euros, forcing tenants to allocate half of the average national gross salary, set at 27,336 euros a year.
Madrid and Catalonia, the regions under greatest pressure
By autonomous community, Madrid tops the ranking for the share of wages spent on rent, at 71% of gross pay, followed very closely by Catalonia, where the proportion reaches 70%. The Balearic Islands (64%), the Basque Country (58%) and the Canary Islands (56%) complete the group of territories where renting a home represents an especially heavy burden for workers.
