Rental prices in Barcelona fell by a cumulative 3.3% between the first quarter of 2024, the last quarter before rent-containment measures, and the third quarter of 2025, according to the Generalitat de Catalunya. For tenants and prospective tenants in the city, the official data put the average monthly rent for a usual-home contract at €1,153.11 in the third quarter of 2025.

The figures, published on 22 February by the Generalitat's Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, are based on deposits registered by INCASÒL, the Catalan Land Institute. They cover municipalities designated as stressed residential market areas, where rent containment applies.

"Rental prices have fallen cumulatively by 3.3% in the city of Barcelona and have remained virtually stable, at 0.8%, across the municipalities declared stressed residential market areas," said Sílvia Paneque, the Catalan minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition.

Prices diverged inside and outside regulated areas

Across the municipalities classed as stressed areas, rents rose by 0.8% over the same period. Catalan inflation increased by a cumulative 3.1% from the first quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025, the Generalitat said.

  • Barcelona: rents fell by 3.3%, with an average usual-home monthly rent of €1,153.11 in the third quarter of 2025.
  • Stressed residential market areas: rents rose by 0.8%, with an average monthly rent of €894.78.
  • Municipalities outside those areas: rents rose by 5.7%, above inflation, with an average monthly rent of €617.41.
  • All Catalonia: the average monthly rent for usual-home contracts was €876.83.

Paneque said the designation of stressed residential market areas was containing rents in places where prices had historically risen more quickly than Catalonia's general consumer price index and rents elsewhere in the country.

The release covers usual-home rental contracts

The Generalitat's announcement reports INCASÒL deposit data for usual-home rental contracts. It does not set out figures for seasonal lets or room rentals, so it does not provide evidence on changes in those parts of the rental market.

Residents can consult the Generalitat's published announcement for the quarterly INCASÒL data and the accompanying comparison of rent movements in regulated and non-regulated municipalities.

Primary sources: Generalitat de Catalunya, govern.cat, barcelona.cat. Reported by russpain.com, Laura Casserres Capdevila, Jordi Serra Martínez, Clara Blanchar, eleconomista.es, Albert Rigol, Xavier Grau del Cerro, idealista.com, cepr.org.