RISING rents are pushing tenants out of the major cities and into some of Spain’s most popular expat hubs, according to new figures from property portal Idealista.
The data shows that several towns in Alicante province are now experiencing heavier rental demand than Alicante city itself, which sits in 59th place nationally.
Alcoy and Elche both rank higher than the provincial capital, while Benidorm and Torrevieja continue to absorb a significant share of demand from people seeking more affordable long-term options.
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Other coastal municipalities including Orihuela, Santa Pola, Denia, Calpe, Guardamar del Segura and Javea also feature in the national list, reflecting a sustained shift towards the coast.
The same trend is visible in the Valencia region.
Torrent and Paterna both outrank Valencia city, which has slipped to 54th place.
Puerto de Sagunto and Gandia also appear ahead of the capital, while coastal areas such as Cullera, Oliva and Alboraya continue to see strong competition for rentals.
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Idealista’s figures suggest that more renters are now looking to the wider metropolitan and coastal belt rather than the big cities themselves.
In Andalucia, the pressure is particularly noticeable in Cadiz province.
Jerez sits well above Cadiz city in the national ranking, and Algeciras has also overtaken the provincial capital.
Along the coast, long-established expat areas such as Chiclana, Conil, Sanlucar de Barrameda and Rota now appear among the country’s most in-demand rental markets.
In Sevilla province, the commuter town of Dos Hermanas ranks ahead of Sevilla city.
The Canary Islands are experiencing the same outward movement.
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On Gran Canaria, Telde records higher relative demand than Las Palmas.
On Tenerife, San Cristobal de La Laguna outranks Santa Cruz, with Arona, Adeje and Puerto de la Cruz also appearing prominently in the listing.
Nationally, Idealista notes that the most intense pressure on the rental market no longer comes from the major cities themselves.
Madrid now appears in 33rd place for demand relative to supply.
Barcelona sits in 21st.
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Twelve of the top 15 positions are occupied by commuter-belt towns around the two big capitals, led by Leganes, Mostoles, Hospitalet de Llobregat and Terrassa.
The shift suggests that long-term supply in the major cities remains so tight that renters – including many expats – are increasingly looking to the surrounding suburbs and coastal towns, a trend analysts expect to continue into early 2026.
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