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Rent slows in Barcelona but seasonal lettings soar
Barcelona is experiencing a change in the rental market. Prices are stabilising after two years of regulation. However, short-term contracts are growing. Seasonal rentals now account for almost one third of new agreements.
After two years of regulation with price caps (since March 2024), Barcelona's rental market is showing an unexpected turn: prices have stabilised or fallen, but the supply of conventional housing is shrinking drastically in favour of short-term rentals.
Key data:
In high-pressure areas, prices rose by only 0.8% (well below inflation).
In the city of Barcelona, they fell by 3.3%.
Short-term rentals rose from 3% of new contracts in 2023 to 28% in 2025.
Many owners are withdrawing flats from open-ended rentals to avoid caps and opting for short contracts (months) or selling them outright.
The property sector warns of less tenant turnover, longer contracts and an increasingly scarce visible supply. Some funds are already selling portfolios, changing the profile of owners. Tenant associations welcome the containment of prices, but are calling for adjustments to the reference index to achieve steeper falls. In municipalities such as Badalona, Manresa and Vilanova i la Geltrú, prices are still rising.
The new short-term rental regulations (January 2026) could change the game again.
This transformation directly affects thousands of residents looking for stable housing: families, young people and workers who see “normal” flats disappear or become indirectly more expensive. The city gains in price containment, but loses long-term supply, making it harder to leave the parental home, increasing housing uncertainty and putting even more pressure on those already struggling to remain in Barcelona. It is a delicate balance between price control and the real availability of homes that will shape everyday life in the Catalan capital in the coming years.