Terrassa, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Sabadell are the Spanish municipalities with the highest demand pressure for rental housing, according to a ranking by property portal idealista based on data from the second quarter of 2026. The trend reflects a growing shift away from Barcelona city, where average rents of €23 per square metre have priced out many residents, pushing demand into more affordable neighbouring towns.
Terrassa ranks first, with an average rent of €12 per square metre per month, followed by L'Hospitalet at €17.7 and Sabadell at €12.4. Despite rising prices in these areas, they remain significantly cheaper than central Barcelona, which appears in 10th place nationally. Badalona also features in the top 10, with an average of €16.7 per square metre.
The pattern is mirrored in Madrid, where Getafe leads with a rate of €15.5 per square metre, ranking fourth nationally, ahead of Madrid city at €23.7 and 28th in the index. According to idealista’s fourth-quarter 2025 ranking, municipalities on the outskirts of major capitals are seeing higher relative demand than the capitals themselves, driven by a search for affordability without losing access to urban employment, education and services.
Commuting Challenges Mount
While proximity to Barcelona is a key factor, transport links such as Rodalies, FGC and intercity buses often involve long, unreliable commutes. Delays and overcrowding on Rodalies services have led many to resort to private cars, though traffic congestion during peak hours can make journeys equally arduous.
Living outside Barcelona usually means dedicating much more time to daily commutes.
Wider Trend Across Spain
The shift is not isolated to Catalonia. Idealista’s third-quarter 2025 study found that 12 of the 15 most in-demand rental towns are in the Madrid and Barcelona metropolitan areas. Leganés and Móstoles top the Madrid list, while Getafe, Alcalá de Henares and Torrejón de Ardoz also rank highly. Provincial capitals such as Zaragoza, Palma and Tarragona follow in the lower half of the top 20, with Madrid city appearing only in 33rd place.
Despite increased competition in peripheral towns, supply remains tight. According to idealista, rental listings in Spain have dropped by 61% since 2020, even as rents have surged by 40%, intensifying pressure across the market.
Primary sources: renfe.com. Reported by idealista.com, Cantabria Económica, Europa Press, euroweeklynews.com, MDB Digital, Valentín Bustos, engelvoelkers.com, Laura Casserres Capdevila, El Periódico Barcelona.
