The housing situation in Spain is so desperate that even the political parties themselves are trying to urgently stop it, which is why the Sumar coalition even makes a social call to fight for the extension of rents and for housing. And the fact is that both the price of renting and buying and selling properties has not stopped rising in recent times and the pockets of Spaniards can no longer withstand it. Housing is the most important problem for 42.8% of Spaniards, according to the CIS, and it is no wonder.
On this issue, the economist Niño Becerra wanted to come forward, who questioned the famous limit of 30% of income that should be dedicated to housing during an intervention on the program La Ventana, on Cadena SER. This reference is almost 40 years old and has its origins in a study by the former Bank of Vizcaya, so it is outdated. For the economist, this percentage today would be impossible to meet as the housing market is, at least in Spain. “A person would have to work until age 80 to buy a home,” he declares. Doing the math, as things currently stand, a family would have to allocate 30% of their income for 63 years to be able to purchase a house, which is totally “absurd” in their opinion.
A tense market that triggers prices and economic effort
Real estate market data confirms this scenario. During 2025, the average rental price increased by 8.5%, reaching 14.7 euros per square meter, with peaks above 20 euros/m² in cities such as Madrid and Barcelona. At the same time, housing for sale also experienced a sharp rise of 13.1%, reaching 2,230 euros/m², the highest level since 1995. All of this translates into growing pressure on households: the average effort to pay the rent already represents 47% of the gross salary, a figure that in the Community of Madrid shoots up to 71%.
This situation hits the young population more intensely. The emancipation rate barely reaches 14.8%, marking its lowest level since 2006. Added to this is a particularly revealing fact: a young person would have to allocate 108% of their average salary to be able to rent a home alone. In the program, Carles Francino supported the analysis by admitting that, although it is worrying, “it is what it is.” In this way, the debate on the sustainability of the real estate market is once again at the center of the economic and social agenda in Spain.
Structural factors that worsen the housing access crisis
Beyond the numbers, several structural factors explain this situation. The lack of affordable housing supply, especially in large urban centers, is combined with a sustained increase in demand, driven by population growth and the attractiveness of cities such as Madrid or Barcelona for international investors and buyers. Added to this is the rise in tourist and seasonal rentals, which further reduces the stock available for habitual residence.
On the other hand, salaries have not grown at the same rate as housing prices, even though the SMI has increased, which makes the access gap larger. The tightening of mortgage conditions in recent years also has an influence, which has shifted part of the demand towards rentals, further straining this market. Together, these elements paint a scenario in which access to housing has become one of the country’s main economic and social challenges, especially for new generations.