Housing

Learn the procedures, legal requirements and costs of renting or buying a home in various parts of Spain. Below is a brief excerpt from this section:  

Most Spaniards live in small apartments with roommates or family members and rely on public spaces, such as cafés and tapas bars, for socializing and entertainment. Rent takes up a large portion of their income. Households spend, on average, 22% of their net disposable income on housing, higher than neighboring countries that average 20%. This figure is much higher in major urban centers, such as Barcelona and Madrid, where rent usually takes half of the average monthly budget.

Renting a room in a shared apartment is popular among students and young professionals, particularly in the country´s main cities. San Sebastian, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca and Madrid remain the four most expensive cities for room renters. The average age of those sharing apartments in the country has been slowly increasing in recent years; it currently stands at age 33. In general, those who look for housemates live in apartments in the center of the cities and do not allow smoking or pets.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic initially had a negative impact on the national real estate market, the average cost of homes is increasing now. Foreign nationals are encouraged to buy property. Those who spend more than 500,000 EUR on Spanish property are able to obtain residence permits (‘Golden Visas’). When purchasing property, the total buyer’s costs usually range between 6.05% to 10.63% of the house price, which generally includes property transfer tax (between 6% and 10%), the notary fee and the registration fees. Sellers usually pay the real estate agent fees, which are approximately 2.5% or 3%.

This is just a brief sample of the extensive information in the GoinGlobal Spain Career Guide, which is carefully researched and regularly updated by local career experts.

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