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Barcelona lowers rental prices while other cities see increases
The cap on rental prices in Catalunya is starting to reveal a map with very different trends depending on the municipality. While areas with regulation are seeing more moderate changes and even decreases in some cases, zones without limits are experiencing much sharper increases.
The regulation began to be applied in March 2024 in 140 municipalities and was extended a few months later to reach 271. Currently, these localities account for nearly 90% of the Catalan population and are subject to the price controls set out by the Ley de Vivienda.
The latest data from the Generalitat show that the average price of new contracts stands at 861 euros per month, 0.9% below the figure recorded before the cap came into effect. Even so, the market remains under pressure and the average rent is still higher than in previous years.
The differences become clear when comparing the two models. In regulated municipalities, the average price of new contracts has fallen by 1.3% since the limit was introduced. In contrast, in areas without regulation, rents have risen by 9.5% over the same period.
Barcelona is among the cities where the price of new contracts has dropped the most, with a decrease of 4.7%. L’Hospitalet de Llobregat has also seen a reduction of 6.2%, while Girona y Lleida have recorded slight falls. Conversely, Badalona, Sabadell y Terrassa have experienced increases despite being part of the regulated zones.
The way the market is behaving keeps the debate about housing supply open. Critics of the regulation argue that it discourages property owners, while data from deposits lodged with Incasòl indicate that the number of rental properties continues to grow, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years.
Experts point out that it is still too soon to attribute all the changes solely to the price cap. Factors such as interest rate trends, demand, or demographic growth also influence the market and make longer-term analysis necessary.
Renting remains one of Catalunya’s major challenges, and the differences between municipalities show that there is no single reality. The developments in the coming months will be crucial to see whether the regulation manages to contain prices without reducing the supply available to those seeking housing.