Access to a rental property already accounts for 35% of the net income of an average household in Spain, while the effort required for purchase has "notably" reduced to 25%, excluding the prior savings needed to obtain financing, according to data released by Idealista this Thursday in a statement.
These conclusions come from an Idealista report based on figures from the first quarter of 2026, in which the portal attributes the "increase" in prices caused by the lack of supply to the economic effort remaining at "such high" levels.
In the case of rentals, the real estate portal details that eight capitals have exceeded the 30% effort that specialists consider the "recommended limit" for renting a two-bedroom property.
Within this group, Barcelona leads the ranking, where rent payments absorb 41% of a family's average income. Following are Palma (40%), Málaga (39%), Valencia (38%), Madrid (38%), Alicante (35%), Segovia (34%), and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (31%).
At the other end are Jaén, Ciudad Real, Melilla, and Huesca, which register the lowest tensions in the rental market, requiring only 19% of family income. Just above them are Palencia, Teruel, and Cáceres, with an effort of 20%.
If analyzed by province, Málaga is the territory that demands the "greatest effort" from its inhabitants to rent, reaching 49% of family income, while Teruel is the province with the "least demand," at 19%.
Regarding home purchases, four capitals exceed the threshold of 30% effort recommended for this type of transaction. The list is headed by Palma, with 43%, followed by Málaga (35%), San Sebastián (35%), and Madrid (32%). Idealista also emphasizes that Barcelona remains below this threshold, at 28%.
Among the cities where purchasing is less burdensome are Lleida, Melilla, and Huesca, where the acquisition of a home represents only 12% of family income, to which must be added the essential savings to access mortgage financing.
Finally, at the provincial level, the Balearic Islands and Málaga share the top position in purchase effort, with 43% in both cases, while Ciudad Real, Cuenca, and Teruel register the "lowest" rate, at 10%.