RENTERS on the Costa del Sol are facing the highest costs in Andalucia, with a typical two-bedroom apartment now setting tenants back €1,494 per month following an 11.6% surge over the past year.
The expat-heavy province recorded the steepest rental increase across the southern region, with prices now sitting at €16.60 per square metre monthly, according to the latest figures from property portal idealista released today.
In Malaga city itself, a two-bedroom flat now costs approximately €1,386 per month (€15.40/m²) after a 6.1% annual rise, making it the most expensive Andalucian capital to rent in, well ahead of Sevilla at €1,152 monthly (€12.80/m²).
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Francisco Iñareta, spokesman for idealista, blamed the price spiral on a stagnant supply of rental properties combined with relentless demand.
He said landlords with dozens of potential tenants to choose from are increasingly selecting only those with stable jobs, strong finances and monthly incomes that comfortably cover the rent.
“Due to their limited financial capacity, young people with fewer resources and the most vulnerable groups are the first to be ruled out,” Iñareta warned.
He called for policies that increase housing supply rather than ‘criminalising landlords’ to resolve what he described as an ‘emergency situation’.
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The price hikes on the Costa del Sol mirror a wider trend across Andalucia, where rental costs have jumped 12.1% year-on-year, pushing the average two-bedroom apartment to €1,116 per month across the region.
Every province in southern Spain experienced price rises. Sevilla recorded a 10.3% increase, Huelva jumped 10.1%, Jaen climbed 9.5% and Cordoba rose 9.3%.
The smallest increases were seen in Almeria at 6%, Granada at 6.3% and Cadiz at 6.6%.
Among provincial capitals, Huelva city topped the charts with a 13.4% surge, followed by Jaen at 10.7% and Sevilla at 9.8%.
At the other end of the scale, Jaen province remains the cheapest place to rent, with a two-bedroom flat costing just €585 monthly (€6.50/m²).
The rental squeeze extends well beyond Andalucia. Across Spain, rental prices climbed 10.9% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2025, reaching an average of €1,305 monthly for a two-bedroom apartment (€14.50/m²).
Barcelona remains Spain’s most expensive city for renters at €2,160 per month for a typical two-bedroom flat (€24/m²), marking a new historic high despite a relatively modest 6.9% annual increase.
Madrid follows at €2,043 monthly (€22.70/m²) after an 11.2% rise, whilst Valencia recorded a 7.8% jump to €1,386 (€15.40/m²).
The Balearic capital of Palma, another major expat destination, saw rents increase 6.2% to €1,656 per month for a two-bedroom apartment (€18.40/m²), making it the third most expensive Spanish capital behind Barcelona and Madrid.
All 51 Spanish provincial capitals analysed recorded higher rents than a year ago, with 18 cities including Barcelona, Madrid, Palma, Alicante and Sevilla hitting record highs this quarter.
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