Access to housing is another major problem for social policy in Spain. And this is where things get really complicated. In recent years, rents have soared in many cities, especially Madrid and Barcelona. According to Idealista, in 2023 the average rent in Madrid exceeded €16 per square meter, meaning an average sixty-square-meter apartment costs almost €1,000 a month. And if you also have to cover other expenses, such as basic utilities or transport, the situation becomes unsustainable for many families.
The government has tried to curb rising rents with measures such as the rent-control law, but these policies have had limited success. Rather than lowering prices, many landlords have simply opted to withdraw their apartments from the market, reducing supply even further and consequently keeping prices on the rise. So, if you are young and want to leave home, you had better prepare to share an apartment well into your thirties.
Buying a home is no more accessible an option. According to ORGANIZATION-005, the National Statistics Institute, in 2023 the average home price in Spain was €1,700 per square meter, but in big cities the figure can be much higher. If you decide to take out a mortgage, you will need at least 20% of the home’s price as a down payment—something few people, especially young people, can afford.
And then there is the famous social housing: a wonderful concept in theory but almost nonexistent in practice. According to the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, only 2% of Spain’s housing stock is social rental housing, well below the European average of around 9%. This means that, although grand plans to increase social housing supply are announced, the reality is that it remains insufficient to meet people’s needs.