Millions of Spanish renters struggle with housing costs exceeding recommended limits

An analysis of the latest Encuesta de Condiciones de Vida data reveals that a substantial number of Spanish renters allocate over 30% of their earnings to housing, a level deemed risky by international standards. The most vulnerable groups include people under 30, those living alone, single-parent families, households with only one earner or both partners unemployed, and migrants, who together account for a large share of those overburdened.

Rental prices have surged by almost half over the past decade, doubling the financial transfer from households to landlords since 2015. Although rising wages, lower unemployment, the minimum wage increase and the Ingreso Mínimo Vital have helped lower the proportion of renters in distress, many have reverted to living with parents or delayed moving out. The Banco de España warns that high rent costs limit young adults' emancipation, particularly in Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Málaga, where average rent burdens exceed 40%. The study also highlights that the poorest income deciles bear the greatest strain, with many migrants from Latin America among those spending the most on rent.